A Smarter Sookie
by Sophie Myst
Summary: What if Sookie had been more than a little smarter, intellectually and emotionally? Slightly AU. Rated M for language and the occasional lemons.
1. In the beginning

A/N: The basic idea behind this story is this: Charlaine Harris said that she figured someone who dated vampires had to be kind of dumb, and that's how she wrote Sookie. It got me to wondering how Sookie's life might have been different if she were (more than a little) smarter - intellectually and emotionally.

Also, this is my first fanfic... please be gentle!

Edited to add: I've been told this chapter starts out a bit slow; for those of you just joining in, I promise it picks up quickly!

* * *

My name is Sookie Stackhouse. I'm a librarian, and I love my job. It's quiet, the people who come here are quiet and fairly respectful, and best of all: it's quiet. The double doors help to block out the sound from the outside, and the noises on the inside are murmurs, hushed whispers, and the sweet shuffling of paper. Did I mention that it's quiet?

I'd read that in larger cities and towns, libraries prefer volunteers or people with college educations and degrees in Library Science; in a small town like Bon Temps, they can't be that choosy. When I was still in high school, I spent my summers volunteering at the town library because it was quiet, the air conditioning worked (unlike the A/C at the old farmhouse that my Gran and I shared), and I had daily access to books.

School was hellish for me. With all of those minds buzzing around me, I could hardly concentrate. See, I have this little quirk that makes life interesting: I'm a telepath. My brother Jason used to tease me that it was easy for me to cheat on tests and pop quizzes, but the reality of it was that I couldn't be certain that the people around me knew the correct answers, either. I did the best I could in school, but honestly I learned more from my time in the library than I ever did from my teachers.

No, the best lesson I learned from going to school was how to shield myself from the thoughts of others. Once I had that figured out, it wasn't too hard to maintain my shields around adults – it was teenage hormones that threw everything out of whack for me. Where better to avoid my teenage peers than the library?

Life at the library was pleasantly uneventful. If I wasn't restocking books on the shelves, I was sitting at the front desk, checking books in, checking books out, or reading. Sometimes people would need my help locating a book, or would need to pony up their late fees, but for the most part I was left alone.

People tended to leave me alone outside of work, too. My earlier years of responding to things people didn't say out loud had earned me quite the reputation. "Crazy Sookie" was the nicest of my nicknames.

My telepathy was what had brought me to the library in the first place. I figured there had to be others like me out there: maybe one of them had written a book about it? Turned out that most of the books about my "gift" were largely speculative. If there were other telepaths out there, they were intent on keeping a low profile. Given the ways I could see telepathy (or telepaths, for that matter) being exploited, I decided that it was ultimately for the best to not tell anyone about my own experiences.

My parents had suspected that I "wasn't right," but they died in a flash flood when I was seven. Jason and I went to live with our Gran after that; they're the only people who know for a fact that I'm a telepath. We rarely ever talk about it, but they know.

I guess that was why I was so excited when the vampires came out of the coffin. Finally, there was proof that I wasn't the only Different one out there. I was fairly certain I'd never meet a vampire at the library: we were only open until eight o'clock at night, and during summer the sun didn't set until well after that. That suited me just fine. I was in no rush to meet a vampire. Knowing that they were real was comforting, but getting involved with them didn't strike me as a good idea.

When vampires announced their existence, it became known as the Great Revelation, but I wasn't all that surprised. I knew from all of my reading that most cultures around the world have stories and myths about vampires. If anything, the announcement made me wonder what other supposedly mythological creatures were out there. Recent developments aside, none of the mythologies about vampires were what I'd consider good press.

The newspapers never talked about it, but it seemed to me that for such a large group of different peoples to remain undetected by ordinary humans for so long, they had to have been organized in some fashion. With organization comes rules, and with rules come hierarchies and power struggles.

No, the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to have anything to do with vampires. To be fair, this didn't really set them apart from ordinary humans in my mind: I didn't want to have much to do with _them_, either. I had my goofy brother and my loving Gran, and I had my books. That was enough for me.

As much as I loved my solitary lifestyle, I knew that I needed occasional practice on my mental shields. Once a week I'd drive out to Shreveport and spend the evening in a crowded nightclub.

I had it all figured out. I'd use one of the computers at the library to scout out new clubs and see what sort of dress code was in place. The idea there was to make sure that I didn't stand out too much. Once I got to the club, I would sit in my car and make it look like I was doing last minute touch-ups to my make up. From my car, I could get an idea of how crowded the club was: that was the first exercise. After a minute or two, I'd have a good idea of what I was getting myself into. Then I would take two to three minutes ramping up my shields so that my mind was as quiet as I could get it. Once I had my shields in place, I would go into the club.

The first few times I went out, I found out the hard way that alcohol wasn't a good idea. I never really drank much anyway, simply because I had to drive almost an hour back to Bon Temps, but I found it was harder to maintain my shields if I imbibed enough to get a slight buzz. I didn't much care for alcohol anyway, so it was no skin off my nose. I saw what it did to the people around me when I was in the clubs. For the sake of fitting in, I'd order a single gin and tonic. If I was thirsty after that, I stuck with ginger ale.

At first, this whole process was nerve-wracking. No matter how I dressed, I stood out in the crowd. I assumed it was because of my boobs. The nice way of saying it is that I'm "well endowed." The more I thought about the people who stared at me, the more other people stared at me, too. Eventually, I recognized the pattern and learned from it: if I walked into a club thinking that I was invisible, no one paid any attention to me. It made me wonder if, in addition to reading the minds around me, I could influence them as well.

Within a few months of my clubbing excursions, I was already experimenting with that notion. I'd sit at the bar and scan the room to try to find a mind that was as inoffensive as possible. The ideal person wasn't there for sex; they were there because they were bored. They also couldn't be in a bad mood. I guess the nicer way to say it would be that they had to be open-minded. The meaner way to say it would be that they had to be a few french fries short of a Happy Meal.

If I found someone who fit the bill, I'd focus on getting him (or her - with as many limitations as I already had in place, I didn't feel the need to further discriminate by gender) to look my way. The first few times were an utter failure. It took weeks to even get them to look at me when I "sent" for them to do so. Good news was, that was the hardest part. Once I had that figured out, it was just variations on a theme: look at me, buy me a drink, spin in a circle, go hit on the bartender. It wasn't perfect, but it worked more often than not.

As it turned out, I could effectively make myself invisible. Not in the sense of being literally transparent, mind you. It was more that I could make people not see me. If their eyes happened to pass over me, they wouldn't take any notice of my presence. They appeared to look through me, rather than at me.

I was careful about all of this. I never went to the same bar or club more than twice in three months. I never tried to make anyone do anything that would be memorable in the eyes of anyone watching. If anyone asked, I never gave out my real name.

After a while, I found myself running out of clubs that I was willing to go to. I started recognizing faces in the crowds; that meant I had to be invisible more and more, and could experiment less and less. At that point, I felt like I had learned all I could from the common clubs anyway. It had come to feel like a challenge, a game. I was constantly trying to one-up myself; having to tone that down was more than a little frustrating.

I knew that my self-competition was what drove me to get better and better with my abilities. I also knew that if I wasn't careful, it would be what got me into trouble. I couldn't afford to get cocky.

Boredom can make a person do some incredibly stupid things. That's my only excuse: I was bored.

It was the middle of the week, and I was poking around online at work, trying to find a club that I hadn't been to that I wasn't already bored with. As bored as I was, I had limits. I didn't want to experiment in the physical sense, so strip clubs and swingers clubs were out of the picture.

No, as hard as I looked, there was only one place I hadn't already checked out: a vampire bar called Fangtasia. Well, shit. I really didn't want to get involved with them, and that seemed inevitable if I was going to start hanging out around in their clubs. But that bored part of me thought that once or twice wouldn't hurt, right?

Unfortunately, the website didn't give me a good idea about the dress code. Other clubs' websites had pictures of the clientele, but I guess the vampires wanted to maintain their aura of mystery. This meant I'd have to scope the place out first.

In the mindset of "better safe than sorry," I decided that I'd go to a club near Fangtasia that week. That would let me do a quick drive by the place to see what people were wearing outside the club. That should give me some idea of what to expect.

That's exactly what I did. It was almost too easy. The good news was that the line in front was nice and long. The bad news was that most of the people who appeared to be "regulars" were in black latex and leather. The lady who was checking IDs at the door seemed to wearing a black leather corset. Aw hell, they were all _goths_. Could they be more cliché? Not only did it look incredibly uncomfortable, I also knew it was expensive. I was not going to drop a hundred dollars or more on a single outfit for a stupid club.

As I sat at the bar of the dance club near Fangtasia, I realized that if I wanted to get away from the boredom, I'd have to dig out my darkest pair of jeans, scrounge up a black t-shirt, and hope for the best.

* * *

Now with additional disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	2. Hello, Mr Dead Sexy

A/N: Not only is this my first fanfic, I'm writing this sans beta readers. I beg not only your mercy, but your forgiveness and understanding.

* * *

Friday night. The night I find out just how safe I am around vampires. I figured that in some ways it would probably be much like any other night out. For all I knew, I ran into vampires regularly at the other clubs and just never noticed them. I'd seen them on television and aside from being pale, they didn't look much different from the average human.

I'd managed to find a pair of dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Gran raised an eyebrow at my outfit: normally I'd wear something more colorful. She knew all about my clubbing activities, and I'd already let her know I was going to be checking out Fantasia. She seemed more excited about the idea than I felt about it, and for her sake I pretended to be excited as well.

It wasn't that I had anything against vampires, I just had a healthy fear of the unknown. Fear isn't a bad thing: it sharpens the senses, quickens the reactions, and ensures the survival of the antelope that runs from the lion.

It had only been a few years since the Great Revelation; a group that had been secretive for centuries, if not millennia, wouldn't be inclined to change so completely in the span of a handful of years. Old habits die hard, and some habits just might be as immortal as the people who have them.

Even though Gran knew that I was going to Fangtasia, I didn't think it was a good idea to tell Jason. He knew that I regularly went out to clubs, but unlike Gran, he thought I was going for the dancing. He was well aware that I was telepathic, but he was less comfortable talking about it with me. Part of that was simple sibling rivalry: he was more athletic, definitely more popular, and even if he had been smarter, no amount of studying could give him the ability to read minds. In any case, Jason was street smart and book stupid. Any type of mental prowess on my part was something he couldn't relate to. My telepathy was an awkward topic between us.

While we didn't talk openly about it, he frequently asked me about girls that he was interested in; if I told him they were bad news, he'd stay away from them. That helped him stay out of a lot of trouble. In return, he would give me a heads up on which clubs were "safe enough" for his little sister. He was protective, as older brothers often are of their younger sisters. The night I was going to Fangtasia, I didn't lie to him about where I was headed, I just failed to be specific. It was a little white lie of omission.

Jason and Gran understood that if I wasn't concerned about a person or a situation, they shouldn't worry about it either. They had faith in my abilities to stay out of trouble. I didn't want them to worry, so I didn't show any signs of nervousness or fear.

I knew things would be different the minute I parked my car in the Fangtasia parking lot. For starters, my bright yellow, beat-up, old Nova stood out like a sore thumb. The make and models of the other cars varied, but the colors didn't: with the exception of a bright red Corvette, all of the cars were black or silver.

I hoped it was my car, and not me specifically, that caught the attention of the blonde woman standing at the front door. She raised an eyebrow in my direction and stared a little too long for my comfort. From my closer vantage point, I could tell two things: she had a slight glow to her, and I couldn't read her mind. As far as I could tell, she was a mental void. Sure, she was extremely pale, but so were most of the people standing in line.

It looked like I couldn't even get into the club without meeting my first vampire, and that really threw me off of my game. I knew I should stick to my routine: pretend to fix my make up, scan the building, and build up my shields. The part where I told myself I wasn't procrastinating wasn't in the normal routine, but I found myself doing it anyway.

When I scanned the building, I noticed several other voids within the club. That meant the lady out front wasn't the token vampire. It made sense: people came here expecting to see vampires, and if the club wanted repeat customers, they would need more than a single vampire bouncer.

_Buck up, Sooks_, I thought to myself. _You can do this_.

I decided that instead of _invisible_, I'd aim for _normal_. Boring, even. I'd give off an aura of _not interesting_. With that influence in mind, I got my KIDs (Keys and ID) out of my purse, tucked my bag under my seat, and got out of the car. I stood there and took a minute to get my things situated: ID in the back pocket, cash up front, and keys clipped to a belt loop with the dangly bits tucked into a pocket.

Normally I didn't mind waiting in line, but that night I had mixed feelings about it. The line was long, but seemed to be moving fairly quickly. Very soon I would be coming under direct scrutiny of a vampire (even if it was only to check my ID), and I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. While I waited, I tried my best to look bored. I couldn't take any cues from the other people waiting out front, as I appeared to be the only person who'd come alone. I was glad when more people joined the line behind me, since that helped me stick out a bit less.

A few short minutes later, I was in front of the glowing blonde. I'd already decided that I wouldn't try to read her mind: I had no way of knowing whether or not she would be able to tell that I was doing it. Ordinary humans couldn't tell, but real vampires were entirely unknown to me. If they all seemed to have the luminescent skin that this woman had, then I could safely say I'd never met one before. It was odd that their glow didn't come across on television.

The woman looked me up and down, scowling slightly at my outfit. That didn't surprise me in the slightest: she was wearing a leather corset that probably cost more than I made in a month. I highly doubted she'd be caught dead (in the final sense) wearing a pair of jeans from Wal-mart.

"Haven't seen you here before," she said. "ID." It wasn't a request.

"Sure thing." I dug my drivers license out of my back pocket and held it up to her as I normally would, but she snatched it out of my hands for a closer look.

"Sookie Stackhouse, age 26. Bon Temps. We don't get many folks from your neck of the woods. What brings you here?"

"Boredom. I got tired of the other clubs I normally go to, so I figured I'd check this place out." She seemed like the type who would appreciate a direct and honest answer. While I might tell the occasional creative truth, my Gran didn't raise any liars.

"We _definitely_ don't get many people like you here." She raised an eyebrow and held my ID back out to me. I took it from her and smiled as she let me pass. _Phew_.

When I stepped inside, I tried to not laugh. There was vampire paraphernalia everywhere: movie posters of every vampire movie I'd ever heard of (some of them autographed), what appeared to be framed copies of first edition books about vampires, and even a small gift shop with Fangtasia swag. The décor was all black and red. I wondered if the "No Biting On Premises" signs were an actual rule or just there for show. It looked like someone had drunk a vampire cliché smoothie and thrown it up all over the place.

Good lord, there was even a raised platform with what looked to be a throne on it; red velvet with gold trim. Wow, really? That was laying it on a bit thick.

A closer look at the people around me indicated that I had definitely not dressed accordingly. There were two types of humans here: Goths and tourists. The former were in latex or leather, and the latter were armed with cameras. The waitresses were decked out in their Hot Topic finest. Now that I knew what to look for, I could easily spot the vampires in the crowd. Most of them were wearing simple black outfits, but they all had a slight glow to them.

I figured it was best to keep a low profile, so I went to the bar and ordered my usual gin and tonic. Other than getting my drink and taking my money, the bartender didn't make any conversation or otherwise pay much attention to me. I took that as a good sign. After getting my drink, I found a place to sit away from the bar where I could watch the room and gather my thoughts.

I didn't try to scan the place right away. Scanning from outside and from a distance, that was all well and good. I knew there was more to vampires than what was reported in the media; from what I'd read in mythology books, different cultures ascribed vampires with different powers and abilities. The unifying theme of vampires across different cultures was that they drained some form of life essence – blood was the most common form, but there were also vampires that consumed flesh, air, physical energy, or psychic energy.

Given the latter, I decided that tonight wouldn't be a night for experimenting. I would simply sit and observe. Best to take it slow so I didn't draw attention to myself.

I found a seat in a corner where I could watch the entire room without having to turn too much in any direction. It was easier to watch people inconspicuously from that vantage point. It meant that even if I hadn't been overwhelmed by the sudden onset of mental swooning of most of the women (and hell, even some of the men) in the bar, it would have been easy for me to notice when _he_ walked into the room.

Since everyone else was staring, it would have made me stand out if I didn't stare at him, right? Yeah, that's what I figured.

It wasn't difficult to figure out why people were making a fuss over his appearance. He looked like he'd stepped out of the cover of a romance novel: easily over six feet fall, long blond hair, strong facial features, well-defined muscles, and he walked like he owned the place. When he took a seat on the ornate throne, I realized he probably did _own_ the place. I snickered to myself when it occurred to me that since he was glowing, that meant he was _dead sexy_.

On top of all of that, he was wearing black leather pants and a leather vest with no shirt underneath. Staring might have been acceptable, but drooling was so uncouth. It was a good thing no one was looking in my direction.

After the initial gape-fest died down a bit, I tried to watch him without being obvious. I watched the women ogle him, and from the corners of my eyes I could see him looking around the room, searching the crowd. Whatever he was looking for, he hadn't seemed to notice me any more than he noticed anyone else. Once he seemed satisfied with his tiny domain, he pulled out a Blackberry and started playing with it. Good times.

Watching the club attendees attempt to interact with him was entertaining, in a schadenfreude kind of way. More than a few people approached Mr Dead Sexy, but all of them were rebuffed, some more painfully than others. Judging by the occasional screams, touching him in any way was a big no-no. Based on the thoughts of the people who approached him, he didn't take too kindly to being spoken to, either. Without fail, all of them had their various hopes dashed.

He was part of the show, if not the star of it; a museum piece: look, but don't touch.

Eventually, I saw the female vampire from the front door enter the bar. She walked up to Mr Dead Sexy and leaned down to whisper in his ear. I wasn't looking directly at them, but I almost broke into a cold sweat when I realized that she was talking to him while staring in my direction. Oh, that couldn't be a good sign.

On the plus side, after years of hearing the worst of people's innermost thoughts, I had a great poker face. Lady Gaga didn't have anything on Lady Sookie, no ma'am. On the down side, they were both staring at me. Even worse, I'd never had the opportunity to figure out how to react to someone poking at my mental shields. _Oh hello, cold sweat: I was wondering when you'd get here_.

The cherry on top of my _oh shit_ sundae was that I couldn't distract myself with my drink: it was empty. So it was all downhill from there, was it? Bugger.

As my favorite childhood movie advised: "Never run from anything immortal; it only attracts their attention." Since I already had the attention of two immortals, I figured it was best to act like nothing was wrong. Off I went to the bar for some ginger ale. I was too alert for even a mild buzz, but I didn't feel alert enough. It took a few minutes to get the bartender's attention, which I took as a good sign. If he'd shown up immediately, that would have been a bad sign.

"Another gin and tonic?" he asked.

Okay, _that_ wasn't good. Since he was glowing, I knew he was a vampire; hopefully that meant he just had a really good memory. I didn't like the idea that I stood out too much.

"Ginger ale, please," I said. "Gotta drive home, you know?"

"Sure thing. Long way back to Bon Temps."

That made me think they were just fucking with me. I raised an eyebrow. "How much for the drink?"

"No charge." He grinned, flashing his fangs at me.

Yeah. _Definitely_ a vampire, and definitely fucking with me. My other eyebrow joined the party halfway up my forehead. I was hoping that his grinning meant that he had a sense of humor. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.

"Oh?" I asked. "Why's that?"

"Designated drivers get free sodas," he said, "So it's on the house."

With that, the bartender walked off to serve another customer. I turned around and saw that not only was my former seat taken, there were no other chairs available. Scratch that. There was one seat open: the one on the platform next to the throne... which was still occupied by a certain blond vampire who was once again watching me. Or was he _still_ watching me?

He tipped his head in my direction and gave me a smoldering look as he beckoned to me. It was too much. I would have laughed if I hadn't felt the now-familiar prickling of someone trying to get past my shields. Unable to see any way of avoiding it, I went off to meet my next vampire.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	3. Initial impressions

It seemed like Mr Dead Sexy was intent on maintaining eye contact with me as I walked towards him, so I made sure to do the same. The pinging against my mental shields stayed constant, and I figured he was the source.

I hadn't seen him summon anyone else to him, so I had no idea of protocol. When in doubt, a solid Southern upbringing should hold me in good stead. Besides, Gran would have shamed me up one side and down the other if I wasn't at least polite.

I stopped when I was a few feet away from the platform and gave a small curtsy. While I suspected that there _was_ such a thing as a vampire hierarchy, I had no idea how it was structured or where he fit into the bigger picture. If he wanted to sit on a throne like a king, then I'd damn well curtsy as if he was one.

"Nice to meet you, I'm…"

"Yes," the female vampire said, interrupting me. "Sookie Stackhouse, age 26. Bon Temps. Came here because she was bored, and likes a single gin and tonic with a ginger ale chaser."

She was looking at me, but she'd definitely been addressing Mr Dead Sexy. I wished I'd paid more attention to the bartender: dollars to donuts said they all used their phones and Blackberries to keep each other up on the latest gossip.

"It seems you have me at a disadvantage, Miss…" I trailed off, hoping she'd reciprocate with at least a name.

It was the male vampire who took responded. "I am Eric Northman, and this is Pam. For someone who claims to have come here out of boredom, you haven't done much to alleviate your problem. Is your life so tedious that you find easy amusement sitting in a corner?"

"No, sir," I said, trying to ignore the effect of his rich baritone on my nether regions. I always had been a sucker for a man with a deep voice. "I simply figured that since I didn't know the lay of the land, it was best to remain an observer for the evening."

I wasn't sure his eyebrow could get any higher, and did his smirk _have_ to be so damned attractive? It was an unfair advantage, even though I was hardly about to admit it, least of all to him.

"Curious," he said. "Now why don't you tell me why you're _really_ here?"

Eric tried to sound disinterested when he said that, but the pinging on my mental shields doubled in strength. There was the pattern: he was trying to influence me. I had to decide quickly: how truthful should I be? How much should I tell?

The longer I waited to respond, the stonier his face got. Without turning, Eric said to Pam, "Hon gör motstånd mot mig."

Without a pause, she responded. "Vilket innebär att hon döljer något."

I had no idea what they were saying, but it sounded like Swedish. Pam didn't look Swedish, but I'd be damned if Eric didn't look like a Viking. Knowing my luck, he probably actually _was_ a Viking, which would put him around the age of "way the fuck too old for me to be on anything but my best behavior."

The problem with being smart is that it's often all too easy to be a smart-_ass_. I couldn't even blame boredom for what I did next. I had no excuse.

"Je n'ai aucune arrière-pensées. Je m'ennuyais, vraiment." A pox on those who thought high school French would never pay off! Ha! I kept up my poker face while I waited to gauge their reactions.

To my utter surprise, Pam smirked and Eric broke out into raucous laughter.

Pam patted the seat in front of her. "Sit."

I wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of sitting with my back so close to Pam, but she hadn't phrased it as a request. I sat as ordered and placed my ginger ale on a nearby table. Either Eric's laughter was enough to break his concentration, or he'd decided to stop trying to influence me. I cautiously lowered my shields ever so slightly, and I didn't like what I heard coming from some of the bar's patrons.

"So, Eric," I said, "Now that we appear to have broken the ice, I don't suppose you'd mind if I asked you a question or two?"

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "And here you said you had no ulterior motives, Miss Stackhouse."

"Past tense, Mr Northman," I clarified. "But something has just occurred to me; nothing big, really. I just have a question regarding your interesting décor. Tell me: the signs that forbid biting and feeding in the club… are those for decoration, or are they actual rules set in place?"

Hello again, sexy smirk: so nice of you to come back out to play.

"Unfortunately, there are laws against public feeding, even if it is between consenting adults. We neither condone nor allow such activities here." He'd spoken those last two sentences with authority, but for an encore he leaned towards me and smoldered as he spoke in a lower voice. "If you like, we could continue our _discussion_ elsewhere."

Oh, my goodness. My brain thought he was ridiculous, but my naughty bits had their own opinion on the matter. Once again, I felt him poking at my shields. It made me wonder what else he might be interested in pok... no. Not going there. _Focus, Sookie: need to get out of here_.

There was nothing for it. I had to spill the beans. _Fuck_.

"Eric, Pam… I definitely think we should all find ourselves some kind of elsewhere. There's a female vampire feeding on a human male in the ladies restroom, and they've been spotted by a cop who's already called for reinforcements."

They were smart, and they were fast about it. If they'd had any reaction to a supposed implication of a threesome, they didn't let on. They'd put two and two together before I'd finished my second sentence: they'd been watching me most of the evening, and not once had I stepped foot inside the ladies room. _Good-bye, mirth and laughter; I hope I live long enough to see you again_.

I was so glad I couldn't read vampire minds. My new friends didn't appear overly pleased with my at that moment.

"Tell me how you know this. Tell me you're not a cop." It seemed that Eric, much like Pam, wouldn't know a request if it bit him on the ass.

"I swear I'm not a cop. I promise I'll explain, but can we do this en route to another location?" I really hoped I wouldn't have to beg. The sooner we got out, the better. I hadn't done anything wrong, so I wasn't worried the cops checking me out; I just didn't want to be stuck at the club.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Pam asked. "What's waiting for us if we leave?"

It was like I knew what was about to come out of my mouth, and I knew I shouldn't say it, but I couldn't stop my smart ass from being a dumb-ass. I was desperate to leave, and in my panic I couldn't think of any other way out of this mess.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I hissed. "I'm a telepath!"

* * *

They say that sex is like oxygen: you care most about it when you're not getting any. I would further postulate that time is like water: you care most about it when you have too much or not enough.

When I'd been trying to convince Pam and Eric that we needed to leave Fangtasia, it felt like everything was going in slow motion. Once the word _telepath_ left my lips, time sped up so quickly it flew ass-over-elbows out the nearest window and into the great beyond. The next thing I knew, the three of us were standing in the parking lot outside of the bar. Could vampires teleport? I figured I was well beyond screwed at that point.

We were standing at the tail end of the little red Corvette I'd spotted earlier. Ahh, Eric, I see what you did there. _Note to self: if you're alive long enough to find the opportunity, tease Eric about being a Prince fan_.

I was still trying to catch my bearings when Pam held out a handkerchief to me and said, "Hey Sookie, does this damp rag smell like chloroform to you?"

Oh, hell _and_ no. "Whoa, totally unnecessary. I can take a hint. I came in peace and I'll go peacefully. That stuff gives me a headache." Eric looked at me curiously, but I didn't feel the need to elaborate. It wasn't like I'd ever been kidnapped: I frequently requested chemistry sets for Christmas, and had interesting notions regarding pharmaceutical experimentation during my teen years.

Eric spoke up next. "Pam, go to ground. I'll contact you before sunrise. Sookie, get in the car. Now."

There was no way out of it: I was quite certain I couldn't outrun them or outfight either of their pinkie fingers. I got into the car, and we were peeling out of the parking lot before I was done fastening my seat belt.

Eric drove in a determined silence while I rode in a quiet terror. After an indeterminate amount of incredibly awkward minutes, I asked, "So how much trouble am I in, really?"

"That all depends on your answers to my questions." This was a different side of him. He wasn't performing for an audience anymore. Suddenly I didn't feel the need to perform either; that's what most of my club antics were, really. In both of our cases, the audiences never realized they were watching an act. We were both pretty different from most of humanity, but perhaps the two of us had more than a few things in common.

The flip side of the "no audience" coin was that there were also no witnesses. Perhaps lying wasn't such a big sin, but I wasn't interested in finding that out the hard way. If I was going to die tonight, I'd far rather find myself on the elevator going up.

"I've already filled you in on my big secret," I said. "The rest is just details."

He took his eyes off the road a little too long as he looked at me. Damn it, he had a better poker face than I did. To be fair, he probably had a few centuries worth of practice.

"Can you read my mind?" he asked as he turned back to the road.

"Can't do it, don't want to. I wouldn't be able to read human minds if I had my druthers. From what I could tell tonight, vampires are completely silent to me."

He took a few seconds to consider that. "How do you know you've never met a vampire before this evening?"

I suppressed a smile at the way he'd read between the lines. "Vampires have a slight glow to them. I would have noticed something like that, if I'd seen it before."

That took a little longer to consider, and I couldn't help but notice that he was trying to subtly sniff me. Bad sign? Probably.

"What are you?"

I blinked. "Unless you're changing the topic, I don't imagine you're asking about my chosen profession."

"No. Most humans can't see that glow. You're obviously not a vampire, and while you smell sweeter than human, the difference is too subtle for me to pinpoint."

It was my turn to ponder: he could smell past the soap from my shower, past the laundry detergent of my clothing, and past the perfume I'd worn. He could smell the scent of my skin, or perhaps more likely, he was referring to the scent of my blood. That would make sense: if humans couldn't smell it when milk spoiled, we wouldn't have survived very long as a species. By that same token, and given that you can't exactly uncap a human the way you would a jug of milk, vampires must have an exceptionally keen sense of... oh _hell_. What else could he smell about me?

There was more to it: if he was saying I wasn't human, he was also saying that there were things out there other than humans and vampires.

I _knew_ it.

Two problems immediately came to mind: not only did I not know what else might be out there, I had no idea which of those things he thought I might be.

I shook my head. "If I'm anything other than human, I have no idea what that 'other' might be. My family wasn't large to begin with, and there aren't many of us left regardless."

"Were you adopted?"

"No. I bear strong resemblances to my mother as well as my paternal grandmother: same blue eyes, same blonde hair with a tendency to curl on the ends, same shapes and sizes. People used to think my brother and I were fraternal twins, even."

"How were you able to resist my glamour?" I couldn't tell if that was a topic sidestep or an outright change.

"No idea. You're the second vampire I've ever met; if Pam tried it at the door, I couldn't tell." Ooh, maybe I shouldn't have said that. It didn't take a mind-reader to see what was coming next.

"But you could tell when I was trying it."

Ah, back to the non-questions. "Yes and no. I could feel something trying to get in my head, but I couldn't tell what you were trying to do. Or what you were trying to get _me_ to do."

We were both quiet for a minute. I had no idea what was going through his head, and it occurred to me that his last point of inquiry might have been double-sided. Maybe Eric wanted to see if I was telling the truth about not being able to read his mind.

For that matter, I was wondering the same thing; I hadn't really allowed myself to test anything while I was in Fangtasia. As a passive test, I decided to let down my shields completely. Nothing. Then I put a little effort into actively trying to read him, but still came up with nothing. I applied a little more pressure, and still not a damn...

"I felt that."

Shit. Busted. "Sorry, just testing the waters. I still can't hear anything from you." I didn't feel the need to explain that so far, all I'd tried to do was listen. I certainly didn't think it was a good idea to let my own glamour-cat out of the bag, but if he could feel me trying hard to listen, he'd likely be able to feel it if I tried to influence him. I wondered if other vampires would be able to feel it as he had.

"Oh, were you still on that?" He smirked. "I figured that out before I even asked you."

"Wait, what?" I was confused now. "How did you…?"

"You've got a good poker face, but I've already picked up on your tells. I've been thinking some rather vivid thoughts in your direction. I must say I'm disappointed at your lack of response: with your complexion, a blush would look absolutely delicious."

Given _that_ little piece of information, I felt perfectly at ease to pout. Maybe even cross my arms and huff a little. Stupid vampires.

He chuckled. Let me clarify my previous response: stupid _smart-ass_ vampires.

* * *

A/N: I don't speak Swedish, and it's been a decade since I was anywhere near fluent in French. I dearly hope that Google Translate hasn't tricked me into saying anything silly or offensive. I swear, I never meant to insinuate anything about anyone's ancestry and barnyard animals.

Hon gör motstånd mot mig. – She's resisting me.

Vilket innebär att hon döljer något. – Which means that she is hiding something.

Je n'ai aucune arrière-pensées. Je m'ennuyais, vraiment. – I have no ulterior motives. I was bored, really.

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Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	4. Quid pro quo

A/N: After abusing the snot out of my poor keyboard, I plucked my head out of the story long enough to find… reviews? Oh my goodness, you lovely readers and your lovelier reviews have completely made my day. As a token of my appreciation, I've included a lemon-scented Eric POV in this chapter. ;)

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**Sookie POV**

For the last two decades of my life, the knowledge of my mind-reading abilities had been limited to two people other than myself. When vampires revealed themselves in a strategically planned worldwide television and radio broadcast, I had been delighted to find out I wasn't the only weird thing out there. I was also certain that it was in my best interests to stay the hell away from them.

In the span of a few hours in a single night, the number of people aware of my oddities had doubled, and I found myself alone in a strange car with an even stranger vampire. The night wasn't even over yet.

It wasn't how I'd planned to spend my evening, but at least I wasn't bored.

Almost giddy from the excitement of it all, I was tempted to see how much more not-boring the situation could get. If Eric had wanted me dead, it would have already happened. It was time to poke the vampire.

"So, Viking... what other questions you got for me?"

_That_ got a reaction, and that's when I picked up on his tell: a slight twitching of the corner of his mouth. I would have missed it if I hadn't been staring.

"What makes you think I am now, or ever was, a Viking?" His voice betrayed nothing. Yeah, he'd definitely had centuries of practice.

"For starters, you just plain look like one. Next up on the list: I'm fairly certain you and Pam were speaking Swedish, but if it wasn't that, it was definitely one of the Scandinavian languages. Pam's accent didn't seem natural: it didn't roll off her tongue half as easily as her fake Southern drawl. With you, It sounded as if it was being spoken like a native. She was deferring to you, which leads me to believe you're older than she is. Right now, it's just a question of how much older."

The more I explained, the more Eric's mouth twitched into a smirk. Enough already! _Okay, time to stop staring, Sookie_.

"Not a bad guess, for a telepath who can't read vampire minds." Ooh, touchy. And touché.

"Are you being evasive because it's rude to ask a vampire their age? I'm sorry, I'm not terribly up on vampire etiquette."

He snorted. "If you think dance clubs are boring, I can't begin to imagine what you'd think about vampire etiquette. If we're going _quid pro quo_ this evening, my age is a fairly painless question to answer: I'm about a thousand years old, give or take a few decades. Viking isn't so much a proper noun, but that is what I did when I was still human."

Well, hot damn. "Nice. You don't even look a century over five hundred, Viking."

"Indeed. Next question. Bring it on, telepath." Feisty. I like it.

"Hmn." I stroked my chin as I pretended to think about it. "As entertaining as our this banter might be, I find myself most curious about our destination, or perhaps our lack thereof. To wit: where the hell are we going?"

Eric chuckled. "Not 'where are you taking me,' but 'where are we going?' So you believe yourself to be a willing participant in choosing a destination?"

"To be honest, I don't know; I was erring on the side of hope. If you wanted me dead, we wouldn't still be talking. So... Think it's safe for me to go back to Fangtasia for my car just yet?" It was getting late. It wasn't like I had a curfew, but I didn't want Gran to worry. I'd left my cell phone in my purse, since there hadn't been room for it in my pockets. Said purse was still happily nestled under the seat of my car. Not the smartest thing I'd ever done, but I hadn't exactly planned on taking an extended tour of the outskirts of Shreveport.

"Hmn. Afraid not. Sometimes those raids can go well past sunrise." His voice was serious, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. Bastard; I couldn't tell if he was being completely truthful.

"Speaking of which, how much longer before you turn into pumpkin?"

"I've a few hours yet. Plenty of time." He smirked.

Oh, I was _so_ not going there. Not asking the obvious. The memories of my adventures from this evening would be enough to stave off boredom for at least another month or two. Stick a fork in me: I was _done_.

I grinned right back at him. "Plenty of time to drive me home to Bon Temps? Right you are."

"Ah, but how will you get your car back in the morning?" Sneaky vampire, he thought he had one up on me.

"I have tomorrow off, and my brother owes me a favor."

I may not know Swedish, but I know cursing when I hear it. He didn't change course, but I hadn't officially asked him to take me home. Well, if we had "plenty of time," then I could spare a few minutes thinking it over. Besides, there wasn't much I could think of to say in response to whatever it was he'd been muttering.

Here was my problem: I could see that he was enjoying the chase, and so help me, so was I. I'd never been pursued before, and there was no ignoring the spark between us. So _this_ was what all the fuss was about. Well, maybe not all of the fuss.

Intellectually, I knew I shouldn't want to be caught. I had no business being involved with _any_ vampires, let alone one that was roughly a thousand years old. I could barely tolerate high school politics; I didn't need to get within biting distance of vampire politics. If Eric was, as I suspected he might be, any part of their secret squirrel hierarchies, then being involved with him would probably find me up to my eyeteeth in curtsies and thrones. If I'd been an ordinary human woman, it would be bad enough. Between my boobs, brains, and abilities… well, I'm sure I couldn't begin to imagine how bad it could get, or the ways in which it could all go horribly wrong.

Emotionally, it was a different story. Sure, I told myself often enough that my family and my books were enough, but when I really thought about it, I just wasn't convinced. There didn't _have_ to be more to life, but if I learned nothing else tonight, it was that there _could_ be more... Even for a telepathic librarian from a backwater town. It wasn't a matter of self-esteem so much as it was the matter of being a square peg in a world of round holes. Surely a vampire could understand that feeling, right?

I knew that I had to find the balance between the intellectual and the emotional; that wasn't going to take place in the span of a single evening, but it sure was tempting to start adjusting the scales.

I didn't know Eric well enough to base any of my decisions on him. However, I knew myself quite thoroughly, and if left to my own devices I would over-analyze the situation well beyond the point of no return. It was a highly effective means of procrastination; I should know, I'd been doing it long enough.

Not much time had passed during my internal musings. Eric seemed to recognize that I'd taken an brief excursion into la-la land, and was kind enough to not disturb the process.

"You don't do this often, do you?" I asked.

"Rescue telepaths from police raids? I'd say that's a first. You've been quite interesting to have around, Miss Stackhouse." He was teasing without bantering. Smooth.

"You know what I mean. _This,_" I said, waving my hands between us. "This conversation. This… whatever it is."

"No," he said quietly. "This is new."

I took that to mean that he also felt that strange spark. "Yeah. Me, too."

We both took a moment to let that sink in.

He spoke first. "Whatever it is, I think I like it."

"Yeah. Me, too." Eloquence, thy name is Sookie.

More silence, and it wasn't in the slightest bit awkward.

"Hey, Eric? Want to do this again sometime?"

He grinned and turned to me with a wicked twinkle in his eyes. "This, perhaps a little more…"

I couldn't help but laugh. "All right then, I'll make you a deal. Drive me home tonight, and I'll let you pick me up tomorrow night so I can get my car."

"So you can get your car, eventually." Nice smirk there, buddy.

"Sounds about right."

"I'm not so sure. It seems a little unfair for me. Perhaps you could sweeten the deal a bit more?"

"Did you have anything particular in mind?" On second thought, that was a potentially dangerous question.

"Too many things to do in a single evening, I'm afraid."

When I didn't respond right away, he looked over at me. "_There's_ that blush I've been wanting to see all evening. Looks like I was right: delicious."

Oh, he was _so_ not helping. I cleared my throat. "Moving right along..."

"I'll tell you what, Sookie: you call it a date and I'll call it even."

That I could work with. "Sounds like a plan."

"No," he said with a smile. "Sounds like a date."

"I'll be honest: I don't have much experience in the way of dating, and I've never gone on a date with a vampire. What's a girl to wear on such an occasion?"

From a smirk to a leer in zero point six seconds. "A smile?"

I made a mental note to ask if his hearing was as good as his sense of smell; I wanted to know if he could hear my eyes rolling damn near out of my skull.

"As an accessory, perhaps. However, there are laws regarding public decency, and before you go there: you _will_ be meeting my Gran tomorrow. Vampire or not, she'll tan your hide if you're not on your best behavior during your first date with her granddaughter."

Bless his unbeating heart: he actually looked intimidated. He didn't even know the half of it.

"First date? Are you implying that there might be more?"

"If you play your cards right, perhaps."

"All innuendos aside, just be yourself, Sookie. Wear what you want to wear. It being Saturday, I will have to spend at least a little time at Fangtasia, but I thought we could have dinner at a nice restaurant beforehand."

I frowned. I didn't know if he realized that he was contradicting himself. Sookie Stackhouse wasn't well acquainted with nice restaurants. When I was being myself, I dressed for comfort: jeans and a t-shirt during the cooler months, sundresses or shorts and a tank top in the summer. I had some nicer outfits that I'd used for my club antics, but those were part of the costume. It wouldn't feel right to wear those on a date with Eric.

With an unexpected pang, I realized we were about to get off the highway exit for Bon Temps; with the way Eric drove, we were only a few minutes from my home. There was something else nagging my brain, and we didn't have time to really get into it before this bizarre evening would be over.

* * *

**Eric POV**

It was hard to not wince as I cautiously navigated Sookie's gravel driveway. If her vehicle was as pitiful as Pam had described it, then it made sense that Sookie might not notice the effects the deep ruts in the gravel would have on her car's suspension. If I wanted to drive here with any regularity (and on that point I was certain), something would have to be done.

Once we were parked in front of her house, I knew I had to get out of the car. I wasn't sure if I could handle one more minute of such close proximity to her delectable scent. My fangs were itching at the edges of my gums, desperate to come out and discover if she tasted as sweet as she smelled. I couldn't let that happen tonight: if I didn't allow myself to build up a resistance to her, I wouldn't be able to keep myself from taking too much.

I had to be the gentleman. With vampire speed, I was opening her car door for her before my own had the chance to fully close. I was impressed that she didn't appear startled by my sudden movements, but she turned the tables on me when she lifted her arms into the air and stood on her toes for a full body stretch.

I was entranced by the way her sumptuous breasts shifted as she moved. My hands ached with the willpower it took to restrain them; they wanted to tempt her nipples into peaking, to trace the gentle slope down her sides, and encircle her waist before exploring the curves of her hips.

She seemed completely unaware of what she was doing to me. I had to resist temptation, had to divert my mind from the myriad of things I wanted to do with this enticing woman.

Our ways and culture might not easily change, but a vampires as individuals must swiftly learn the most important lesson for surviving an eternity: adapt or die. Whether or not they were aware of it, humans had long held that advantage over us. They had the luxury of resisting progress. Not only that: humans were the ones who imposed their order over others – even, or perhaps especially, the others of whom they were unaware.

It was with that in mind that I waited for the delightful creature in front of me. I would present her with the opportunity to move forward, and for the time being I would let her dictate the pace.

I stood painfully motionless before her, watching as her eyes traveled up to meet my own. Her slender arms, previously hanging indecisively in the air, found their way over my shoulders and around the back of my neck. As I let her pull me down to her, I felt the shift of her breasts against my chest. I forced my hands to rest lightly on her hips while I touched my lips to hers.

She'd maintained eye contact with me. I waited and watched as she made the decision to move forward: she tilted her head to the side and parted her soft, warm lips against mine.

I couldn't help but pull her closer to me as I deepened the kiss. I relaxed my arms after she gave a slight whimper, concerned that I might have hurt her; the otherness that had given her such a sweet scent might not have extended to bestowing her with a stronger physical form. I focused on putting everything into that kiss; if she let me, I would keep kissing her until the sky turned pink.

She mercifully didn't let it go that far, and pulled back from me looking dazed.

"Wow. What was that for?"

"Insurance," I said with a wink. "I needed to make sure you wouldn't skip out on our date tomorrow."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit


	5. Blackberry shenanigans

I've already gotten some writing done on the next real chapter, but I couldn't resist posting the Blackberry shenanigans from Sookie's first night at Fangtasia.

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**Earlier that evening…**

Pam to Long Shadow: I call dibs.

Long Shadow to Pam: … on wut?

Long Shadow to Pam: nvm. blue/blond, blk t, dk blu jeans, smells like omfgsex?

Pam to Long Shadow: That'd be the one, Princess. I called it.

Long Shadow to Pam: bitch. y u always get dibs?

Pam to Long Shadow: Don't you fucking forget it. I saw her first.

Long Shadow to Pam: only bcuz u nvr let me wrk the door.

Pam to Long Shadow: We need you behind the bar. Your face inspires heavy drinking.

Long Shadow to Pam: i'm gonna tell ur daddy on u.

Pam to Eric: Long Shadow is being mean to me again.

Pam to Long Shadow: Not if I tell him first.

Long Shadow to Eric: ur child is a cunt

Eric to Pam: Pamela. What did I tell you?

Eric to Long Shadow: FFS. What now?

Pam to Eric: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me."

Long Shadow to Eric: she keeps calling dibs

Eric to Pam: Tease. I thought you were in another lesbian phase. And you don't get to call dibs in MY bar.

Eric to Long Shadow: WTF am I missing out there?

Long Shadow to Eric: uh nothing boss.

Eric to Long Shadow: You're a shitty liar.

Long Shadow to Eric: dude its busy out here. g2g.

Long Shadow to Pam: gimme DL info on ur dibs

Pam to Long Shadow: Why?

Long Shadow to Pam: want to mess w/ her when she comes bk 4 refill

Pam to Long Shadow: If you fuck this up for me, I'll scalp you again.

Long Shadow to Pam: i'll tell u her drink ordrs

Pam to Long Shadow: Deal. Sookie Stackhouse, 26, Bon Temps.

Eric to Pam: You're awfully quiet. Sulking?

Pam to Eric: NO. Asshole. Are you even working in there?

Pam to Long Shadow: I'm waiting.

Eric to Pam: Can't. Someone keeps messaging me. Might as well see what I'm missing out on the floor.

Pam to Eric: Vermin, all of them.

Eric to Pam: Even your supposed dibs?

Pam to Eric: Bitch, don't make me come in there.

Eric to Pam: WTF.

Pam to Eric: FUCK. My bad.

Pam to Long Shadow: Bitch, don't make me come in there.

Eric to Pam: Heading to the floor, want to see if I can scout out MY dibs.

Long Shadow to Pam: g&t, but only 1. slow drnkr

Pam to Long Shadow: Damn. With boobs like those, I was hoping for a roofie colada special.

Eric to Pam: Fuck your dibs call. Anything that smells that good is mine.

Pam to Eric: You suck.

Eric to Pam: Not yet.

Pam to Eric: Fuck you.

Eric to Pam: Get your skinny ass in here and point her out to me.

Pam to Eric: ...?

Eric to Pam: Shut up. It's crowded in here tonight. Get in here. Now.

Pam to Eric: What if I don't?

Eric to Pam: You left your new Louboutins in my office. Shame if something happened to them.

Pam to Eric: I hate you. OMW.

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Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	6. Gran

A/N: I know y'all are chomping at the bit for the big first date, but if it's any consolation, I've already got a slew of notes and ideas for it. You won't be kept waiting long. ;D

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When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I noticed that my door was slightly ajar. Gran must have come in to see if I was here when she noticed that my car wasn't outside.

The second thing I noticed was that my old bedside clock probably needed a new battery. I couldn't possibly have slept this late; was it really almost noon? Gran must have heard me come in this morning; she never lets me sleep in. I sat up in bed and cocked an ear towards the door. I could hear her puttering around in the kitchen, so I knew she was okay.

I knew I had to get up, but I wanted nothing more than to flop back down on the bed and replay the events of last night in my head. The way Eric kissed me until the bones left my legs. The way he touched me. The places he touched me. The places I'd _wanted_ him to touch me. He'd sat me on the trunk of his Corvette and we made out like teenagers until about an hour before sunrise. I'd fallen into bed too exhausted to be frustrated with what hadn't happened.

This morning I was definitely feeling the frustration. I had no problem taking matters into my own hands, but with the amount of mental movie material I'd gotten last night? I had to stop before I started, or I was never going to get out of bed. That meant it was time to get up.

I hopped up, grabbed some clothes from my dresser, and went into the bathroom. After a nice cold shower, I got dressed, threw my hair into a ponytail, and walked out into the kitchen to find Gran reading the morning paper.

"Morning, Gran. I didn't wake you up when I got home, did I?" I asked as I poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Goodness, no. I assumed you'd be coming home later than usual, so I went to bed early. Kept the phone on my nightstand, just in case. Sit, let me get your breakfast for you."

"Yes, ma'am." Rule number one of the Stackhouse residence: never argue with Gran. She may be a benevolent dictator, but her word is law around these parts. I watched as she got my breakfast plate out of the oven and set it in front of me: eggs, grits and sausage. Mmm.

She sat back down at the table, and that's when the interrogation started. "Tell me all about last night. What's his name?"

"Who?" Like I didn't know.

"The man who brought you home. What happened to your car?"

"How do you know it was a man? And the car should be fine; it's still sitting in the parking lot at Fangtasia."

"You wouldn't have blushed if it was a girl. Why'd you leave the car there? Anything to do with the raid last night?"

Eep. "His name is Eric, and I think he's actually the owner of Fangtasia. We took his car because it's faster. How'd you hear about the raid?"

"Maxine Fortenberry called me about it this morning. Lord knows how she heard about it. If you didn't know better, I'd say she was psychic. She says it took them hours to get it all sorted out. They went in for an 'unlawful public feeding' and came out with almost a dozen fake IDs."

Ooh, Pam's gonna catch hell for that. "Gosh, I hope they don't get into too much trouble."

"They deserve it! Vampires have to deal with enough discrimination as it is. They don't need a bunch of underage hooligans bringing more trouble their way. Someone needs to teach those children to respect their elders." Obviously, those hooligans didn't have a Gran like mine.

"No, I meant I hope the vampires don't get into trouble. Some of them are pretty nice." I may have smiled a bit too much when I said that last part, because Gran sat back and gave me the hairy eyeball for a minute. My food suddenly became very interesting, and I couldn't help but stare at it. Closely.

She gasped and clapped her hands with glee. "Oh, that Eric fellow is a vampire, isn't he?"

I grinned. "He sure is, Gran. He's going to pick me up after sunset so I can get my car."

"Fancy that. Is it a _date_? He didn't tell you how old he is, did he?"

I grinned at her enthusiasm; she almost looked more excited than I felt. "Yes ma'am, it is, and he most certainly did. Roughly a thousand years old, give or take a few decades. Would you believe he was a Viking?"

Gran wouldn't have had the patience for or interest in a discussion about the term "viking," so I figured I'd stick with the modern usage of the term, even if it wasn't completely accurate. Besides, I was trying to distract her from the fact that I'd admitted to having a date, and branching off into terminology would have been way too obvious. I couldn't recall the last time I'd seen Gran gaping or speechless, and there she was: gaping _and_ speechless. It might have been too much for her to handle: she just got up and left the room.

"Gran, where are you going?"

She came back into the room with her hands on her hips. "I've got to get cleaning, you silly girl! Do you know that Maxine Fortenberry told me she heard vampires have better noses than a whole pack of bloodhounds? I can't have your vampire beau smelling yesterday's dust on my carpets."

"Gran, it's just a date. He's not my _anything_. After I'm done eating, I'll clean up my dishes and get started on the kitchen. Once I'm done with that, I'll help you in the living room."

"That's my girl. Make sure to bring me your bed clothes, I'll get a load of laundry started."

"I just washed my linens yesterday, and it's not like he's going to see them."

"Oh? You didn't mention you were going to be staying at his place tonight."

You could have fried an egg on my cheeks, they burned so hot. "Gran!"

She just winked and went back out into the living room. Apparently it was my turn to gape.

* * *

Gran's house was never dirty, but we had it spotless by four o'clock. It never failed to amuse me how cleaning a house could get a person so very dirty. I'd told Gran that Eric was taking me out to eat, so she and I didn't have to worry about making dinner. Gran felt it was rude to cook single-serving portions, and she kept a stash of leftovers in the freezer for that very reason.

I really hoped Eric was well behaved in front of Gran; I had no idea how she'd react to him if he wasn't. She had no problems verbally putting someone in their place, and I'd seen her whap Jason upside the back of his head more than a few times. It wouldn't hurt Eric if she did that to him, but that wouldn't be the intent. You'd have to be pretty ballsy to slap a vampire who could crush you without blinking.

The question would really come down to how she viewed Eric. He was centuries older than her, and the custom of respecting one's elders applied to her as well. Then again, he was coming to call on the granddaughter she'd raised as her own child. Ultimately I realized I'd just have to wait and see how it played out. I hoped he would keep his leering to a minimum. Poor vampire wouldn't know what hit him, otherwise.

Sunset wasn't for a few more hours, and the only things I had left to do were figure out what to wear and get another shower.

I stood in front of my closet and looked over the selection; I had a fair amount of dresses, and they fell into three categories: club (snazzy), church (proper), and sundresses (casual). The first two types were right out: the club dresses would feel like a costume for me, and the church dresses wouldn't send the right signals. I eventually decided on a light blue sundress; the nights were still plenty warm, so I wouldn't need a sweater over it.

I didn't think Eric would mind my dressing casually, since he'd told me to dress for comfort. I didn't much care what anyone else thought about it; I wasn't going on a date with _them_.

That decided, I grabbed a matching bra and panty set from my dresser and went into the bathroom to get ready.

It was almost an hour past sunset when Eric showed up. As I heard his car pulling up the drive, it occurred to me that we didn't have any synthetic blood in the house; we'd never had a vampire over for company before. Gran would be mortified over not having something to offer a guest, but it couldn't be helped. Without my car, I couldn't very well have gone out and picked up a case of True Blood. Calling Jason wasn't an option: he would have insisted on staying to meet Eric, and that wouldn't bode well for a pleasant first date.

I opened the door when he knocked, and my mouth went dry at the sight of him. He'd dressed casual, but it almost didn't matter. Even in the black jeans and a dark red v-neck shirt that he was wearing, he looked like… well, it was a good thing I remembered Gran was watching me.

It was also a good thing Gran couldn't see him just yet; he'd licked his lips as he took in my outfit. I guess that meant I'd made a good choice. I smirked and invited him in.

Gran was perched in her easy chair, and I hoped Eric realized that in this house, that was her throne. I smiled to myself as I pictured him trying to curtsy. As I led him into the living room, Gran stood up and looked at me to start the introductions.

"Gran, this is Eric Northman. Eric, this is my Gran, Adele Stackhouse."

"Delighted to meet you, Mrs Stackhouse." He bowed slightly. Score one for him.

"Such a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Northman. Won't you have a seat? Please accept my apologies: I'm afraid we don't have any refreshments to offer you." Gran said as she gestured to the couch.

"Not a problem at all, Mrs Stackhouse," Eric replied. "I wouldn't want to put you out in any way."

Gran waited and back sat down at the same time as Eric. I sat next to him, but not so close as to give Gran any ideas.

"Sookie, could you be a dear and go get my shotgun out of the closet?"

I felt as shocked as Eric looked. "...Gran?"

"You're going to be out all night. Never hurts to be prepared."

Ah, I knew what she was up to. She wanted a word alone with Eric, and she wanted to put the fear of God into him.

When I came back into the room with Gran's shotgun tucked under my arm, Eric looked at me with the expression of a deer caught in the headlights; Gran saw that he wasn't looking at her, and she winked at me.

I kept my poker face on as I handed her the gun and sat back down next to Eric. She expertly checked that it was loaded before setting it on the floor next to her chair. That was rich; it wasn't just a show: she was the one who'd taught Jason and me how to shoot. Even at her age, she could handle it as well as I could. Eric gulped.

"Good girl," Gran said. "Let's see, I got my gun, got my knitting… I think I'm all set." She paused to give Eric and me a sharp look. "What are you two still doing here? I thought you had a date planned for this evening?"

I laughed. "Yes ma'am, we most certainly did. Did you want me to call if I'm out past a certain hour, or are you going to bed early?"

Gran turned to me and said, "You go have fun, dear. I'll see you when you come home tomorrow." She winked at me and laughed when I blushed.

Poor Eric must have been so confused. After all her odd fussing, she'd given him the all-clear. Since I knew Gran, it was easier for me to put the pieces together. She didn't necessarily want him to be actively afraid of her, she just wanted him to know that hurting me wasn't in his best interests. Gran wouldn't have approved of him if he hadn't been intimidated; it indicated that while his intentions might not be pure, they were at least honest.

All things said and done, I was impressed when Eric calmly escorted me out the door and to his car.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	7. Date with a vampire

A/N: I know a lot of you lovely reviewers have been looking forward to this chapter, and again, I can't begin to express just how happy your comments have made me. As fun as this story is to write, I get more smiles and laughs from your wonderful feedback. Hope this chapter was worth the wait!

* * *

For the first few minutes in the car, Eric and I exchanged polite pleasantries, generally keeping to small talk. He seemed to have recovered well from meeting Gran, but I couldn't be certain how much she might have spooked him.

Once we were on the highway heading towards Shreveport, I couldn't resist. I had to know.

"Eric, what did Gran say to you when I was out of the room?

He grinned. "Nothing I wouldn't have said, had I been in her place. Does your grandmother really know how to shoot a gun?"

Whatever she'd said, he wasn't about to repeat it. I was dying to know, but maybe she would tell me later.

"Yep," I said. "She taught herself how to shoot after an incident between her and her brother Bartlett. She doesn't talk about it much, but it was a long time ago. Happened before I was born."

Now he looked spooked again. "She would shoot her own brother?"

I snorted. "If I had a daughter, I'd shoot _anyone_ who tried to molest her, brother or not."

The look on his face was one I never wanted to see aimed in my direction. Holy fuck, vampire on the rampage. Time for damage control.

"I didn't mean _me_, Eric. He'd gone after Gran's daughter, my aunt Linda. Gran didn't shoot him, but he died before I was even born. Bit of a family mystery, that."

Eric perked up at that. "Did he die under strange circumstances?"

I nodded, since he happened to be looking at me. "Eyes on the road, please. Bartlett was found dead in the middle of a clearing in the woods not too far from our house. The autopsy said he'd died from injuries sustained after falling from a great height. He had cuts all over him that suggested he'd fallen through a lot of branches, but he was too far from any trees to have fallen from one of them. He cratered when he landed, so they knew no wild animals had moved him. It was ruled as an accidental death."

I figured he'd smile at that, but he appeared more thoughtful than anything. "How did you come to live with your Gran?"

I knew it would come up sooner or later. It was so many years ago, and I was so young when it happened, it didn't hurt to talk about it. Still, I didn't like talking about it; I hated the piteous looks people would give me after I'd told them.

"My parents died in a flash flood when I was seven. It happened just after they'd dropped Jason and me off at Gran's house for the weekend, and we stayed with her from that point on. Jason moved into our parents' old house when he turned 18, so now it's just me and Gran at the old farmhouse."

I watched to see what his reaction would be; there was no pity. I liked that, and when I thought about it, it didn't surprise me. Being such an old vampire, he was no stranger to death in its various forms. Even so, that was a bit of a heavy topic for a first date.

"What did you have in mind for dinner?" I asked.

Based on the leer he gave me in response, I realized I ought to have been more careful with my phrasing. On the up side, it meant that Gran hadn't scared him too much.

I laughed. "I meant: which restaurant are we going to?"

"Oh, that. There's a nice Italian place that's vampire-friendly. They have a decent selection of blood and I've heard the food is quite good."

"Vampires and Italian food sounds like an odd combination. Unless the garlic thing is a myth?"

He smiled. "Most myths about vampires were actually started by vampires. Garlic, crosses, mirrors, holy water… all campaigns of disinformation that we spread to help us hide."

"That makes sense, but sometimes the smell of garlic is too much for me. Are you saying it doesn't bother you, with your heightened sense of smell?"

"I don't particularly mind it one way or the other, but it doesn't cause me any harm."

I was glad to hear it. I loved garlic.

"Eric, how good _is_ your sense of smell?"

"It's been so long since I was human, I'm not sure I can really describe the difference. I did read an interesting study about it, though. They've determined that some sharks can smell blood in the water at a dilution of one part per million. While it does vary, the average vampire is about on par with the average shark."

Oh, hell. "So, last night…"

"Last night," he said, interrupting me, "I could smell first moment you became aroused in my club. And now I can smell that delicious blush of yours. You really should stop that, unless you'd like to skip going to the restaurant this evening."

My blushing only got worse. I did the only safe thing I could think of, and opened the window for some fresh air.

I cleared my throat. "Mr Northman, I am not the sort of girl who gives it up on the first date, let alone before the date has even officially started."

Was he _pouting_? Silly vampire. I hadn't said anything about what could happen after the date was over.

* * *

We managed to make it to the restaurant without any unforeseen delays, but we kept the conversation to more small talk. I was still curious to find out more about his vampire senses, but I thought that particular conversation would be easier if A) we were in public; B) we were surrounded by the smells of other people and their garlicky foods; and C) he had a nice big glass of blood in front of him.

Once he'd opened my door for me, Eric held his hand out to help me up and out of his car. I gladly took it: he may have wanted a closer look at my girly bits, but he wasn't going to get it Britney style.

I stood up and stepped closer towards him, glad that I had worn heels: it put his face that much closer to mine. Still holding his hand, I guided it around my back and looked up at him, hoping for a kiss.

With a heated look in his eyes, he leaned down and pressed his cool lips against mine. I opened my mouth and gently sucked his lower lip in between my teeth. He moaned, and I found myself backed up against the side of his car while he showed me what centuries of practice can do for one's kissing techniques.

Breathing is overrated. Besides, that's what noses are for.

I was only momentarily disappointed when his lips left mine to whisper in my ear. "If I ask you out again, right now, could that make this our second date?"

The lower register of his voice, the feel of his breath on my neck, the slow movement of his hips against mine: all of these things were convincing me to say _fuck yes_. It was my mutinous bastard stomach that ruined the moment by growling at me. I growled right back. So what if I hadn't eaten since noon?

He chuckled, gave one last gentle nibble on my earlobe, and pulled us away from the car. I straightened up, smoothed out my dress, and smiled at him as I turned to walk towards the restaurant.

Out of habit, I did a quick mental scan of the building as we approached the front door to the restaurant. I picked up on a strange combination of mental signatures: mostly humans, a few voids (which I assumed to be vampires), and a handful of minds that were oddly hard to read. I'd felt minds like that before, but now that I knew vampire minds felt different, I wondered if those harder to read minds were an indication that the person was something other than human.

Eric noticed my change in concentration. "Everything all right?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was just doing a quick scan on the building. Old habit. I like to know what I'm getting into."

He nodded appreciatively. "Good habit to have; my techniques may be different, but they've kept me alive more than a few times."

Eric opened the door and placed his hand on the small of my back as I passed him. The inside of the restaurant was deceptively large; as many people as there were here, each table and booth seemed far enough apart from the others that their occupants were allowed a modicum of privacy. On the surface it all came across as being cozy, the sort of place you might take a first date, for example; it also seemed like a good place to conduct any assortment of business under the pretense of pleasure.

We didn't have to wait long for a table, and the host left us each with a different menu. I raised a questioning eyebrow at the one Eric was holding.

"A different sort of beverage list," he explained.

Ah. I shrugged and looked down at my own menu to make sure they had what I wanted, and set it to the side after finding that they did indeed have it. I think Eric took longer to decide than I did, which he also appeared to notice. I appreciated how aware he was of his surroundings, but I wondered if I'd ever get used to it. Most of the people I spent my time with weren't that perceptive.

"That raid last night must have been big news," I said. "By the time I woke up, Gran had already heard about it from a friend of hers."

Eric looked grim as he nodded. "They found more than they were originally looking for. It was good that we left when we did, otherwise we would have been kept past sunrise. As it was, I had to have my day man handle the situation."

"Gran mentioned that they scored a bunch of fake IDs."

He growled. "Pam's good at filtering out the worst of the lot, but she has trouble telling human ages anymore."

I sat back in my seat and took a sip of my water. "It's a shame she can't read minds."

A slow smile spread across his face, and he leaned forward. "Indeed. It would be quite advantageous to have someone on staff who could do that sort of thing. It's a shame telepaths are so rare. I'd love to get my hands on one."

Hands, lips… _Focus, Sookie_. "Rare? How many telepaths have you met?" This I definitely wanted to know. I'd always hoped to find others like me.

"Oddly enough, just one. Fascinating creature, too."

"Maybe you could work out an deal with this fascinating creature. Just something to consider." I didn't think his grin could get much bigger.

"Interesting. I wonder what sort of agreement she and I could come to." His grin turned wicked, no doubt a matched set with the glimmer in his eyes.

I shrugged and noticed our waiter approaching the table. "Perhaps the next time you see her at Fangtasia, you should talk to her about it."

After we'd ordered dinner (fettuccini alfredo for me, top shelf O negative for him), I decided that the business portion of our conversation could be continued later. There was a moment of hesitation; on my part, it was a matter of not knowing which questions to ask first. I suspected the same was true for Eric.

"Should we continue our _quid pro pro_ session from last night?" I asked. "As part of the whole 'getting to know each other' process?"

"It seems to work well for us. I believe it's still your turn." Was he being polite? Or was he concerned about chasing me off?

I laughed. "One of the things I've been wondering about since last night: I'm fairly good at staying under the radar during my normal club excursions. I know my outfit wasn't quite right, but aside from that, what gave me away?"

He tilted his head and regarded me closely. "Curious. What do you normally do at clubs?"

"Not fair: answer my question first, then I'll address yours." I grinned. I was glad he picked up on that. It was nice to have someone I could talk to: not only could I openly discuss my telepathy (the jury was still out on whether or not I should mention the rest of my abilities), he could keep up with me in a conversation. If anything, he was likely holding back.

"The short answer is that Pam noticed your scent right away. The slightly longer answer involves the fact that Pam and Long Shadow tend to pass the time by gossiping on their Blackberries."

"Long Shadow?" I didn't recall meeting anyone with that name. "Oh, is that the bartender?"

He nodded. That would certainly go a long way to explain how the two of them were able to fuck with me; it was one less question for me to ask.

"He bartends," Eric went on to explain, "But he's a partner in the club along with Pam and myself. He'd make a better bouncer, but Pam can't mix drinks worth a damn."

"So, this whole scent thing. No one's ever mentioned it to me before." Sure, it wasn't something that a person would bring up in polite company, but if I smelled funny, Jason would have teased me about it at least once.

"You hadn't met any vampires before. It's the scent of your blood."

Saved by the dinner bell. My pasta smelled heavenly. The first bite was so good, I had to close my eyes to enjoy it properly. When I opened my eyes again, Eric was staring at me, his glass frozen mid-air.

"I just made a noise, didn't I?" I blushed.

He nodded and took a sip of blood, never taking his gaze off of me. "Do you always moan like that when you're eating?"

"Only if I'm tasting something particularly delicious." I smirked and wondered if vampires could sweat. Either they couldn't, or he was smooth. Or both.

He cleared his throat. "My turn."

Oh, shit.

He saw my slightly panicked expression and raised me an amused eyebrow. "I'm still waiting for your answer."

"Oh, right. What was your last question, again?" Pull it together, Stackhouse.

He smirked. "I believe you were going to tell me about the sorts of things you normally do in clubs."

"Dance. Have a drink or two. Work on my telepathy: my job doesn't put me in contact with a lot of people, so I like to practice keeping my shields up." Again, I hadn't lied. I wasn't sure why I still didn't want to tell him about the other abilities just yet, but I stuck with my gut reaction on that one.

"Do you find you have trouble maintaining them in crowded places?" Crap. I could practically see the gears whirring in his head.

"Yes and no. It depends on the crowd. Some people are 'louder' than others." I quickly stuffed another bite of food in my mouth so that there wouldn't be enough room for my foot. Since I'd never really had anyone to talk to about this, I was nervous about saying too much.

"What sort of job do you have that keeps you so hidden away?"

"I'm a librarian." I shrugged. "It's quiet, not many people there, and I love to read. My turn. Tell me why you choose your particular car."

That was a pretty rapid shift on my part, but he just grinned and leaned forward.

"I like the way she responds to my slightest touch, the way she purrs under me. I like that someone as large as myself can comfortably fit into something so small. When she hugs the curves of the road, it feels almost like flying."

Fuck. _Me_. That was _so_ not what I was expecting. I may have choked a little on my food.

"And if you can find a way to tease me about my little red Corvette that Pam hasn't already tried, I'll be impressed."

Caught. I wanted to tell myself that that's why I was blushing so furiously, but it would have been a damn lie. Even so, this could be a fun segue into something else I was wondering about Eric.

"So are you the type to 'love 'em and leave 'em fast?'"

I thought that would earn me a smirk, but instead he gave me a strange, faraway look. "That's certainly been my modus operandi for quite some time. I'd say I 'need to find a love that's gonna last.'"

_Oh_. I took a deep breath and tried to not look too nervous about what I was planning on asking next.

"It's not just a scent thing, is it?" I waved a hand between us.

"I'll admit that it was the initial attraction; I've never smelled another human so sweet." He paused to savor a slow breath. "However, the more we talk, the more intrigued I am to find out who and what you are."

I nodded. That made sense. I'd never seen anyone who looked so good as Eric; it was true that we'd barely known each other a full 24 hours, but my attraction for him was already well beyond skin-deep.

Time for another potentially nerve-wracking question. "Where do we go from here?"

He smiled and looked down at my plate of food. "If you're done with your meal, I'd suggest we head to Fangtasia."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	8. Return to Fangtasia

**Eric POV**

The ride from the restaurant was physically painful; I shouldn't have worn such tight jeans tonight. At least it only took us a few minutes to get to Fangtasia.

When we arrived, I caught Pam doing her nails in my office. Bitch. She knows I hate the smell of that crap she puts on her nails. No doubt that was her petty revenge against me for stealing her "dibs." No matter. Sookie decided she'd like to sit out in the club while I took care of some necessary work, and I gleefully took the opportunity to rub it in to Pam by having her escort Sookie to my booth. To make matters worse, I instructed her to sit with Sookie until I came out to take her place.

Thanks to vampire speed, I didn't have to spend much time in my office. Bobby Burnham, my day man, had taken more than adequate care of the human side of the raid from last night. All there was left for me to do was write the reports for my higher-ups; I took care to leave Sookie out of them and simply stated that Pam and I had just happened to step out of the bar when the raid took place; once we'd realized what was going on, we didn't go back in. Within a half hour of sitting down at my desk, I was done with business for the evening.

I had a love/hate relationship with my throne at Fangtasia. The whole thing had been Pam's idea. As long as the customers didn't distract or approach me, I could kill two birds with one stone: my sitting there was good for business, and it gave me time to think. I had much to process, and I would be merciless to any fool that dared bother me.

It had been the most interesting 24 hours I'd experienced in decades. When I'd risen the previous evening, I had expected yet another tedious night at Fangtasia; never had I been more delighted to be wrong.

Sookie's unusual scent, the way she sat alone in the crowd of people desperate for my attentions, the way she watched me in her peripheral vision: I was immediately suspicious. She clearly hadn't been a fangbanger, but I suspected her of being an undercover cop, or perhaps a spy from the Fellowship of the Sun. I had wondered what she was doing in my bar; if she was local, she had kept herself well-hidden: I had never seen her before. Why the fuck hadn't my glamour worked on her?

Pam and I knew she had to have been hiding something, but to find out she was a telepath? I think Pam was less surprised by that information. I am five times as old as my child, and to the best of my knowledge I had never come across a telepath before. Pam had no idea how rare Sookie truly was.

There was no specific plan in mind when I sped off with Sookie in my car; I simply knew that I could not let this creature get away from me. I had to find out if she was what she claimed to be. There were no humans around for a demonstration, but I felt it when she'd tried to read my mind. At that exact moment, I had been remembering what I'd tried to glamour her into doing at the club. At the very least, she would have blushed. More likely, she would have tried to slap me.

It was a relief to find that she couldn't hear my thoughts: she would never be safe around vampires if she could read our minds. Unfortunately, that included me as well. It was too great a risk. I would have had to kill her or turn her.

The more we talked, the more I realized just how intelligent she was. She seemed to recognize that even I had put her in a situation from which she could not easily escape, I hadn't intended to hold her hostage.

Not only did she _not_ run screaming from me after that roller coaster of an evening, she agreed to see me again. Making out with her had been such wonderful torture. I had wanted nothing more than to lay her down on the hood of my car and fuck her until the sun rose, but I'd known she would have pushed me away. Never have I forced myself on a woman; I had no intentions to start now. I let her set the pace, and she didn't disappoint.

After walking her to her door, I had to burn rubber to make it to Shreveport before sunrise. I had arrived at my house with only moments to spare. On the way, I'd spoken with Pam. She teased me, saying that only I could come away from an interrogation with a date. While I hadn't given her the details of my conversation with Sookie, I had informed her that Sookie wasn't a threat to us, and that I would be bringing her with me to Fangtasia the next evening.

Not only did I show up at the club with Sookie, I hoped to be leaving with her as well. If she didn't come home with me, I would have to be a grumpy bitch for several nights. I could not let Pam see me pout; she'd never let me hear the end of it.

If there hadn't been business to attend to, we wouldn't have gone to the club at all. We could have gone straight to my house, where I could ravish Sookie until the sun pulled me under for the day.

I could barely believe myself: only Pam and Bobby had ever been to my house, and there I was: hoping to bring in a human woman I'd known less than two days.

What had she _done_ to me?

As I sat on my throne, I watched Sookie without looking directly at her. I'd been hoping to test her telepathy in the bar, to see how much use she could be at Fangtasia. Not only did she not disappoint in that regard, I hadn't even had to ask her to do it. Over the noise in the club, I could hear her pointing people out to Pam. When my child went to investigate, Sookie was never wrong.

It surprised me when I felt a different sort of power coming from her. I had no idea what she was doing, but I intended to find out. Whatever it was, I didn't sense that it was malicious or directed at me specifically.

Something didn't add up. I hadn't felt anything when she'd scanned the restaurant; I had only noticed the sudden change in her demeanor. This power felt different from when she'd tried to read my mind in the car, otherwise I might have thought I was just feeling her as she scanned the club. The patrons couldn't seem to pick up on her listening in to their thoughts; whatever else she was doing, they wouldn't necessarily give any indicators of that, either. The more I watched the scene in front of me, the more I realized that none of them were looking at her. That, in and of itself, was unusual: at least a few of the fangbangers seemed to take umbrage if anyone other than myself sat in my booth – Pam included.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I could snark with the best of them, but Pam was wearing me out. In the end, I decided to distract her by demonstrating my telepathy skills. In the hour that Eric sat on his throne, I'd pointed out no less than six teenagers with fake IDs, two drainers scouting for vampires, and someone who'd been trying to steal swag from the gift shop.

Each time I pointed someone out, she would go over to verify my findings and take care of the offenders. She was pretty blunt about it. After the first one, I decided to use my invisibility on the crowd so that no one could notice the pattern; Pam didn't seem to notice, but I'd started getting some funny looks from Eric. I knew I was probably busted, but I'd rather he find out about my extra talents than find myself with the attentions of some stranger with a vendetta. Teenagers and petty thieves weren't a huge concern, but those drainers had some pretty nasty thoughts running through their heads.

I was relieved when Eric finally came to sit with me. He slid in opposite me and smiled. "That's an interesting ability you've got there, Sookie."

"I've never used it this way. It was kind of fun to play detective, to snoop out the bad guys."

"I wasn't referring to your telepathy." He smirked.

Oh, _hell_. Well, it hadn't been entirely unexpected, but I still wasn't comfortable being called out on it. "You uh… noticed that, did you?"

"Why didn't you tell me about it earlier?" he asked.

"You didn't ask if I had any other abilities. In any case, I don't know what to call it."

"Tell me more about it, I'll see if I can't come up with the name."

That sneaky bastard! He hadn't known, he'd only guessed.

"I can't believe I just fell for that," I admitted. "I'm not getting out of this one, am I?"

He grinned wickedly. "No, my strange, delectable friend. I don't believe you are. Spill."

I sighed. "I guess you could say that I can influence the way people see me. Or in tonight's case, I can make it so that they _don't_ see me."

"Fascinating," he said. "Can you influence people in other ways? Or is it only tied to their perceptions of you?"

I thought back to how I used to make people spin in circles and hit on bartenders, and I couldn't help but snicker. "I've managed to pull off some interesting tricks in the past. I wasn't lying when I told you that I went to clubs to exercise my shields; I just didn't tell you that I also went there to experiment, to see what else I could do."

He frowned slightly. "Did you come to Fangtasia thinking you could experiment here?"

"No! Well, not really. I was honest when I said I was bored at the other clubs. I felt like there was nothing else I could learn from them. I'd read about Fangtasia almost a year ago, and had been avoiding it all this time. Humans would no doubt be interested in exploiting my abilities, I don't imagine vampires would be any different in that regard. I didn't want to get involved in your power struggles; if the vampire community found out I was a telepath, there'd be no avoiding it."

"What do you know of our power struggles, as you put them?" He did not look amused.

"Not a damn thing," I insisted. "Only that you have to have them."

"Explain."

"Here's how I see it: vampires have around for over a millennium. You're walking proof of that, if you really are a thousand years old. Humans have always suspected your kind existed, but no one had ever been able to find any incontrovertible proof. Any group of people who are that different, but have remained undetected for that length of time? Has to have some kind of structure to it, some kind of hierarchies. Power struggles are just a natural consequence of such a system."

Eric was staring at me like I'd grown another head, but he didn't tell me I was wrong. I decided to go back to my earlier topic.

"So, as I was saying… I'd also been avoiding this place because I had no idea how safe I'd be around vampires. I needed to find out if you guys could detect me, or sense that I was different somehow. That was the only test I felt comfortable trying. I didn't come here to mess with you, I came here to find out if you could mess with me."

"Lucky for me you came here first, then." He grinned.

"First? I thought this was the only game in town, as far as vampire bars went."

He laughed. "Fangtasia isn't really a vampire bar, it's more like a vampire safari. We're a tourist attraction that caters to people who want to think they're talking a walk on the wild side. No, there are other, actual vampire clubs, but they don't advertise. Had you gone to one of those, you would have come out leaking like a sieve, if you came out at all."

Ugh. I didn't need details on that last part.

"So, Eric… I'm not in trouble for my little lie of omission, am I?"

He grinned mischievously. "Why do you keep asking me if you're in trouble? Are you looking for a spanking?"

I snorted. "Were you hoping to give me one?" _Right back atcha, big boy_.

"The thought had crossed my mind." He licked his lips. "But there's time for that later: it's still early. In the meantime, since Fangtasia is as safe a place as you're going to find for this sort of thing, would you be interested in conducting an experiment or two?"

"What sort of experiment did you have in mind?" Ooh, was he going to let me play? I grinned and leaned forward, rubbing my hands together with glee.

"We already know that your telepathy doesn't work on vampires. Have you actively tried to read Pam, to see if she can feel it as I did last night?"

I nodded. "Yep. Tried it when she was sitting here with me. She didn't say anything about it, and gave no external cues that she'd felt anything."

"Excellent," he said. "Then why don't we see if you can influence Pam? Try to get her to do something."

I thought back to her earlier snarkfest in the booth. "How nice do I have to be?"

"Feel free to embarrass her at your discretion. She'll probably blame me, in any case."

"Why would she?" I asked.

Eric grinned. "She's my child. Outside of moments of necessity, it's a dirty trick... but I can influence her."

"Excellent. I have some ideas, but first things first: I'm thirsty. Part of the problem with that invisibility trick from earlier was that none of the waitresses took care of my refills. I've been maintaining the influence simply because this wasn't a conversation I wanted anyone to overhear. I'll go ahead and drop it now."

The effect was almost immediate. Three different waitresses saw that my cup was empty and that Eric had no drink at all. They almost collided in front of the booth in a panic, and it was desperately hard to not laugh. Eric pretended to be silently furious with them for having ignored him, which didn't make it any easier for me to keep a straight face.

Once he had a fresh True Blood and I had another gin and tonic, I said, "This may take a few minutes. I'm going to put the invisibility back up; that's a group influence, whereas the one I'll be using on Pam will be directed at her specifically. I think the former should help shield the source of the latter."

I could tell he was intrigued. I took a sip from my drink to hide my amusement and nearly choked.

"Holy mother of _fuck_, this is almost straight gin!"

Eric sighed. "That's one of the reasons why Pam isn't allowed to bartend. I can never tell if she does that on purpose."

Right then. On with the show. I tried to make it look like I was concentrating; really, I was waiting for the right setup.

Within a few minutes, I saw the perfect opportunity. Pam was standing behind the bar, talking with Long Shadow as he was wiping down the bar with a damp cloth, and Eric was just starting to take a sip of his blood. I quickly threw an influence at Pam and waited for the dominoes to fall.

In the middle of whatever she'd been saying to Long Shadow, Pam shouted, "_Bah-GAWK!_"

In shock, Long Shadow let out a war cry, ducked to the side and threw the rag in Pam's face, where it landed with an audible splat.

Eric did a spit-take, completely spraying me down with True Blood.

The bar patrons froze in place as if they'd just seen the face of Medusa.

Eric whipped his head around to look at Pam and started laughing so hard that whatever blood he'd tried to swallow started coming out of his nose.

Through my tears of laughter, I could see Pam and Long Shadow half-crouched in a Mexican standoff behind the bar.

Like a herd of startled gazelles, the fangbangers and tourists fled the club _en masse_.

Once they'd cleared out, the only sounds in the bar were the peals of hysterical laughter coming from Eric and me.

Long Shadow and Pam simultaneously turned and glared at us.

Oh, fuck. Fuckfuck_fuck_.

I immediately jumped over the table and crouched into the corner of the booth, between Eric and the wall, with my legs pulled up defensively in front of me.

Eric was doubled over, clutching his stomach and pounding the table, with bloody tears coming from the corners of his eyes.

Pam delicately plucked the rag from her head and flung it across the bar. It landed on the side of Eric's head, causing him to fall to the side and faceplant directly between my breasts.

When Long Shadow realized that we were _not_ under attack and took in the very interesting tableau around him, he started giggling. Like a little girl.

I was gasping for air while Eric was oblivious to the fact that, not only was his face smashed into my cleavage, he was squishing the hell out of me.

Pam folded her arms and slowly stalked over to the booth until she was staring directly down at the pair of us. She stood there for a few stony seconds before lowly intoning, "You do realize, of course, that _this_ means _war_."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	9. Laughter and lemons

A/N: I know this chapter is a bit shorter than I usually go for, but it has lemons; I've never written lemons before. Consider yourselves doubly warned. O.o

* * *

**Eric POV**

I'd given Sookie the green light to fuck with Pam, but she managed to pull it off better than I ever could have dreamed. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed this hard: my vision was obscured from the bloody tears in my eyes, my face wet with the overflow.

When the rag hit the side of my head, I couldn't help but fall over; she'd thrown it hard. I expected to hit the wall, but landed on something soft instead. I couldn't even stop laughing long enough to see what was happening. My child could have staked me right then and there, and I would have been powerless to stop her. That's how bad it was.

After I altered the security footage to make certain Sookie couldn't possibly be identified, I was _so_ posting this shit to YouTube.

When I dimly heard Pam's declaration of war, I recognized that I had to snap out of it. I grabbed the rag from the side of my head and started using it to wipe my face.

That was when I became aware that Sookie was laughing and gasping for air, caught between me and the wall. She was the something soft that I'd landed on. I turned to brace an arm on the wall to push myself back up into a sitting position, and found my face mere inches away from her glorious cleavage. She was covered in True Blood.

In an instant, my mood shifted. I had to have this woman. Right. Fucking. _Now_. I didn't care if the whole world was watching. The sight and scent of blood on her skin – not even her own blood, which I'd yet to taste – was going to drive me mad.

She was starting to catch her breath. All night I'd been wanting to see her under me, breathless and crying out from the pleasure I was giving her. This was too good an opportunity to pass up. I growled and leaned forward to lick the blood from her skin.

Sookie's pulse started racing, and she moaned. _Yes_. I could smell her arousal. _Want_. My fangs ran out; when she moved under me, they accidentally scraped the soft flesh just above one of her magnificent breasts. I lapped hungrily at the slight welt I'd caused, getting the most tantalizing hint of her rich, sweet blood. _Need_.

I slid one hand around her waist and the other reached up to cradle the back of her head. I lifted my face to hers and kissed her hard. I could taste blood on her lips. Fuck. I pulled her body closer to me and leaned her back, twisting myself so that I could arrange her under me on the seat of the booth.

I thanked the gods that Sookie was just as caught up in this moment as I was; it might have finally killed me to have to stop. She was under me, eagerly returning my kiss. Her hands were tangled in my hair. _More_. Her hips were moving against mine; even through my jeans I could feel the heat and moisture from between her legs. _Please_.

I slid one of my hands between us to caress her breast, to pinch her nipple. She groaned into my mouth and I could tell she was close. She started pressing harder against me. She moved her hands away from my head; I didn't care where she moved them as long as she was touching me. _Yes_. Her nails were digging into my shoulders. _Come for me_. Her moans were turning into whimpers. _I want to taste your voice as you come under me_.

My eyes rolled back into my head when she slipped a hand into my jeans and took hold of me. _Fuck_. She broke the kiss only for the sake of shouting my name. I'd never heard anything so beautiful. I buried my head against her neck and groaned as I came. It took every ounce of willpower to not sink my fangs into her soft flesh. I hovered in the space between the aftershocks, laying gentle kisses over her pulse point, trailing up her neck.

I sat up, taking her with me, placing her legs on either side of mine so that she was straddling my lap. She leaned her forehead against mine and exhaled a long, shuddering breath.

"Eric?

"Yes, lover?"

"I… that was… yeah…"

I smiled.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Wow. Fucking wow.

Some people might say I should be ashamed of dry humping Eric in his booth at Fangtasia, but at that moment I didn't give a single shit. It felt too amazing for me to be embarrassed.

Besides, I'd been far more coherent than Eric was when he started licking the blood off of my skin. I knew that all of the patrons had fled when the dominoes of my prank were falling all around us. Pam had stormed off after uttering her declaration of war. When Eric growled into my chest, Long Shadow stopped giggling, shot us a knowing glance, locked the front door, and sped away to the back of the bar. There had been no one left to see us.

I lifted my forehead away from Eric's and laughed as I looked down. We were smeared all over with his bottled blood and my sweat; my sundress was rumpled beyond belief and sporting more than a few questionable wet spots; I didn't lift my dress to check, but think my panties might have evaporated from heat and friction.

In short, we looked a hot mess.

Eric grinned at me and pulled me closer for a kiss. I chuckled and gave him a quick smooch instead.

"Eric, we should probably go get cleaned up."

"You're right. We should get up." Neither of us moved.

"Yep." I sighed. "I'm not sure if my legs still work, but I guess now's as good a time as any to find out."

He laughed when I wobbled as I stood up, but kept his hands on me to catch me in case I fell. He stood up and put an arm around my waist as we walked back to his office. I scanned the building and found no other mental signatures within its walls. We were alone now. The clock on the wall told me it was just past midnight; so much had happened, I'd have thought it was later than that. I wasn't mad; it meant I had more time with Eric.

We stepped into his office and he walked over what I expected was a closet or a bathroom. When he turned on a light, I could tell it was the latter.

"Mother_fucker_!" Was he laughing?

"What's wrong, Eric?"

"That bitch!" Yes, he was mad and laughing at the same time. What the hell?

"Which bitch? Pam?"

"Yes! She fucking stole the knobs on my shower. Oh, it is on. It is so fucking _on_."

I walked into the bathroom to see that Pam had indeed stolen the knobs for the shower. When I looked in the mirror I saw that not only did I have drops of dried blood in my hair, I'd managed to get an impressive case of sex hair without actually having had sex.

There was no way I could go home looking the way I did, even if Gran was completely out cold. There are walks of shame and then there are walks of _what the hell is wrong with you_.

"Let me see if I can't find you something else to wear, at least," Eric said. He walked back into the office and I closed the door behind him so I could use the facilities. Thankfully, Pam hadn't thought to tamper with the toilet.

While I was in the bathroom, I found myself wondering once again the question of "what comes next?" Gran had all but told me twice - once in front of Eric, no less - that she expected I would stay the night with him. He'd been teasing me all night, but hadn't outright asked me. As much as I read about these sorts of things in books, I had no real life experience with them.

I knew one thing for certain: angst is decidedly not sexy; confidence is.

Eric was smirking at me when I came back out into the office. "If you share my opinion that pants are overrated, I've got you covered."

He handed me an extra-large Fangtasia t-shirt; it looked big enough that I could wear it as a dress. As long as there wasn't a breeze, I ought to be okay.

"Cool. That should work, thanks." I tossed the shirt onto the couch where I'd left my purse.

Eric looked confused. "Did you not want to get changed?"

I raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly at him. "If I wear it right now, I'll just get it all dirty. I'll save it for my trip home tomorrow."

I'd figured that would get a leer, maybe a smirk. I wasn't expecting him to use vampire speed to push me up against the wall, to grab my thighs and lift me so that my legs were wrapped around his waist. I wasn't expecting him to kiss me until my brains followed my bones and left my body altogether.

He was holding me up with the press of his hips against mine; his hands were free to slide up my thighs. Eric was trailing kisses over my jaw, moving down my neck; we were ramping up again, and as wonderful as it had been before, I knew that I wanted more. More, and not here; I didn't want my first time to be up against a wall.

I ran my hands through Eric's hair and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Eric, you do know you can't actually take me to your place if we never leave this room, right?"

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	10. Showers and revelations

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter; some friends kidnapped me for a night out, and I didn't wind up back home until yesterday afternoon. I've only this morning started to recover; that's how you know a good time was had.

In other news, I've updated my profile with contact information, and am going to be posting updates on Twitter, since reader **axadams** was kind enough to let me know that the update notifications here tend to be a bit persnickety.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric had growled in frustration when I'd pointed out that we should be on our way. I can't say I blame him; I didn't want to stop any more than he did.

Since everyone had cleared out earlier, there was no one to see us looking disheveled as we were. While he was double-checking that the front door was locked, I got my things together. We headed out the back door and into the parking lot. I saw with relief that my car was still there.

"Oh, Eric, hold on…"

There was a brief flash of panic on his face before he simply looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"If we're taking one car, how will I get home in the morning?"

He grinned. "I can have my day man bring it over before you wake up, so you can drive home."

"It won't be too much trouble?"

"Pff. His job is to run my daytime errands. It's not putting him out if I'm paying him for it."

I laughed. He held the car door open for me and helped me in.

Once he was in and I was buckled up, the car roared to life. We burned rubber out of the lot almost as quickly as we had done the night of the raid. I wondered if he always drove like this, or if he was just in a hurry to get home. With some shock, I realized that the raid had only happened the night before. So much had happened, it felt like at least a week had passed. Maybe it just seemed like a lot, given the context of my usually uneventful life. Or maybe time just acted differently when Eric and I were together.

"Do you think Pam knows it was me?" I seriously hoped not.

"Tomorrow night I'll find out what she felt, if anything. Most likely she'll blame me for it. Even if she suspects you, you're safe. She's my child; I wouldn't allow her to hurt you, and any secret of yours that is safe with me, is safe with her as well."

"Are you going to tell her about my influencing ability?" I asked.

"It would be best if she were aware of it. She would be able to help us find out more about it; if she could indeed feel it, then you would want to only use it around other vampires in case of emergency."

I nodded. "Hell, my original plan was to keep as many of my abilities secret as secret as possible. I never wanted to be found out at Fangtasia."

He thought about that for a moment. "You didn't have to reveal yourself the way you did. You could have simply not told us."

I snorted. "Without my doing anything, you guys were already messing with me. You may not have known what about me was different, but you knew something. It was only a matter of time. I was already on the spot, and if I tried to leave quickly…"

"We would have been suspicious and tracked you down anyway."

"Exactly. Add a police raid on top of that, and you'd probably think I had something to do with it."

"That was the initial impression, yes."

"So," I said, "It was in my best interests to come clean, at least about the telepathy. There was no other logical explanation that would have kept me safe. It was the lesser of two evils."

He shot me a strange glance. "You could have lied."

"No sir, I could not have. My Gran didn't raise any liars. I may omit the truth, and I may tell some creative truths from time to time, but I do not lie."

"Creative truths?" He laughed. "Tell me some creative truths about yourself."

"Oh, please. Surely, as a vampire, you'd be familiar with the concept."

"Maybe I just want to know more about you." He smirked.

I chuckled. "Okay, fair enough. A creative truth about me would be that I have no idea how sex with a vampire would be different from sex with a human man."

He blinked. Several times. "You _can't_ be a virgin."

"Why not? Do you know something I don't know?"

"I just find it incredibly hard to believe."

"Harder to believe than the fact that I'm a telepath who can influence people? I thought you said telepaths were rare." I laughed.

"They are. How many virgins do you think come to a place like Fangtasia?"

He had a point there. "Hmn. I guess there's a first time for everything." He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I winked at him.

We rode in silence for the remainder of the trip. Eric was driving at breakneck speed, so even though it seemed like we were going a fair bit away from the city, it didn't take us too long to get there.

His house appeared rather ordinary on the outside. I never would have guessed that a vampire lived there; it was in a securely gated subdivision, and each house had a fair amount of space around it. As he pulled into the garage, the headlights from the car shone over his front lawn; I spied some garden gnome figurines, and wondered if they were part of an elaborate security system, like I'd seen in a Wallace and Gromit movie.

Once again, Eric had gotten out of the car and opened my door for me before my seat belt was fully off. As he helped me out of the Corvette, he pulled me to him for a mind-bending kiss. When he pulled away, he had a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Without warning, he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder. I shrieked and laughed until I noticed that I had a great view of his ass. He wanted to play? Bring it. I smacked his ass and was rewarded with a hearty laugh. I loved that sound, loved the things it did to me.

I couldn't exactly see where we were going, but I heard the door to his house open and then close behind us. He set me down on something flat and cold: a island counter in the middle of his kitchen. There wasn't much time to get a good look around before he was kissing me again. I scooted closer to the edge of the counter and wrapped my legs around his waist. He groaned and leaned forward to press his face to my breasts.

I needed to get out of these clothes. I also needed to not be covered in dried blood, even if it was only True Blood.

"Eric?"

His head was still in my cleavage, and I was temporarily trying to resist his attentions. I laughed when he gave a muffled reply.

"Eric, how would you feel about a shower?"

He growled and came up to kiss me again, this time much more passionately. His hands tightened around me and he picked me up to carry me in what I presumed to be the direction of a shower. He didn't bother turning on any lights until we reached the bathroom.

He set me down and took a small step back. He reached down to grab the hem of his shirt and pulled it off in one fluid movement. I watched, entranced at the movement of his muscles rippling under his skin. He walked over to the get the shower started, and while he wasn't watching, I quickly unzipped the back of my dress and let it slide to the floor. When he turned around, he took an unnecessary breath and lust flared in his eyes.

I held eye contact with him, silently willing him to stay where he was. I slid my hands up my stomach, over my breasts, and then slowly undid the front clasps of my bra. As much fun as this was, I recognized I was playing with fire; Eric's hands were clenched by his sides, and his fangs were starting to dig into his lower lip.

I slipped my bra all the way off, let it fall to the floor, and walked over to him wearing nothing but my panties and a smile. When I put my arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe for a kiss, he grabbed my waist and spun me around. Once again I found myself sandwiched between a wall and a very eager vampire.

Eric was standing half under the spray of the shower; his lips and hands were everywhere, overwhelming me. I reached between us and tried to unbutton his jeans; he growled and swatted my hands away. I felt his hands brush against the hem of my panties; I heard more than felt it when he ripped them off of me. One of his hands slid between us, between my thighs. I moaned into his mouth and pressed my hips closer to him when I felt his fingers teasing my nub.

Faster and faster, his fingers moved. I gasped when I felt one of his fingers enter me, testing me. I was more than ready for him. I was writhing against him, my fingernails digging into his shoulders as he kissed, licked, and nibbled my neck.

I whimpered when he pulled his hand away from me and gasped when he lifted me even higher. He placed my thighs over his shoulder and began nuzzling the golden curls between my legs. He gave me a long, slow lick, and my hands instinctively grabbed his head. I felt one of his long fingers slide back inside me, moving in and out in a deliciously slow rhythm. After a few more licks, he added another finger, and I thought I was going to explode.

When his fingers started pressing against that special spot inside of me, I could feel myself getting wetter. He groaned and his tongue started moving faster. The sound and vibration set me off, and I suddenly I was there, bucking against him and screaming his name.

Gently, he removed my thighs from his shoulders and slowly lowered me so that was standing in front of him. He leaned down to kiss me, and I could taste myself on him. He pulled me into the spray of the shower so I could at least rinse off some of the grime from earlier.

I had no idea when his jeans had come off, but I could feel his hardness pressing directly against me. I reached down and brushed the tips of my fingers against his length, causing him to groan and bury his head in my neck.

"Bed?" I suggested.

In an instant, Eric had turned the shower off and picked me up. He carried me into the dark bedroom; the only light was coming from the bathroom. We were both soaked from the shower, but I didn't care if he didn't. He laid me down in the middle of the bed and gently lowered himself on top of me. I bent my knees and raised my legs to cradle his hips on my thighs.

He started licking the water from my breasts, working his way around them until his mouth found one of my nipples. He latched on and started sucking gently; one of his hands was on my other breast, mimicking the movements of his tongue.

I spread my legs farther apart so that he could get even closer to me. I felt him enter me, and I gasped as he slowly inched his way inside of me. When it seemed like he could go no further in, he reached down and started rubbing my most sensitive spot. I moaned, and when my hips involuntarily twitched, he pushed even deeper. I winced at the slight sting, and he stilled inside of me.

He brought his head back up to mine and looked into my eyes. "Are you all right?" he murmured.

In response, I brought my face up to his and gently bit his lower lip. His mouth crashed against mine, and I pushed my hips up to him. We started moving then, slowly at first, getting faster and faster. He was watching me, his eyes locked with mine. I could see his fangs glisten in the darkness; when I got closer, I turned my head to the side and offered him my neck.

"Please, Eric… I want you to…"

Instead, he leaned down and caught one of my nipples in his mouth. I felt the sharp sting of his fangs for only a brief second. When he started to pull on the slight wound, he sent me over the edge, screaming out his name as I came. He seemed to grow harder in me, and he growled and shuddered as he finished just after me.

We stayed there for a few moments while I tried to catch my breath. He slowly pulled away and laid down on his side, next to me. His hand was rubbing slow soothing circles on my stomach as he silently watched me, waiting for me to speak.

I turned to look at him. "Thank you."

He grinned. "You're always welcome for that, lover."

"Mmm. Very good to know. I'll have to take you up on that, once I figure out where you hid my bones."

He laughed and pulled me closer.

* * *

**Eric POV**

It had been hanging between us all night, the question of whether or not Sookie would be going home with me. I had teased her about it, but hadn't outright asked.

But then this brilliant woman had casually suggested we head back to my house. She had to know what that entailed. Had to. And yet, she didn't – not really. I had been more than happy to show her. More than once, even.

I watched her as she lay sleeping; I wished I could peel away the layers of mystery surrounding her as easily as she'd so deliciously peeled off her clothes.

After tasting her rich blood, I realized several things. First and foremost, I _would_ be a pouty bitch if I didn't get her taste her again - and often. But also, I knew that I'd been right when I'd suspected she wasn't fully human. When I first smelled her, she'd reeked of otherness. Her blood was so much more delicious than any other human I'd tasted.

Whatever she was, her Gran knew about it; her warning to me made that abundantly clear: _It's not me _or_ my gun that you should be worried about, Mr Northman_.

I had the feeling that Sookie's abilities, at least the ones I knew of, could get her into more trouble than they could get her out of. It was certainly possible that there were more that she hadn't told me about. Her brother was still an unknown, and couldn't be ruled out entirely; either way, I didn't have nearly enough information about Jason to come to any conclusions.

While it was possible that Adele thought Jason could be any kind of threat to a vampire, it was more likely that she was referring to someone else. Sookie's story about Bartlett's death was the proof of that. Adele smelled entirely human. If Bartlett had been killed because of his crimes against Adele's daughter, then it was likely that Sookie's grandfather was the key to this mystery.

Everything I'd heard about Sookie's family indicated that her grandfather was dead. How would he be able to seek revenge from beyond the grave?

Adele's daughter, Linda, was not Sookie's mother; it was Adele's son who was Sookie's father. There were two possibilities. The first was that Bartlett's killer had taken revenge not for what was done to Linda, but rather for the pain that Adele felt over her daughter's molestation. The second possibility was that both of Adele's children had the same father, and that man was not Adele's dead husband.

The latter was more intriguing, which in my mind made it more likely. It implied a long-term extramarital relationship, not a mere fling. It meant that whoever fathered Adele's children had not done so accidentally, and perhaps not even unintentionally: he had emotional ties and obligations to them.

If Sookie's real grandfather was fully not human (and if Sookie's mother was fully human), that meant Sookie was a one-fourth non-human. But what _was_ she?

Telepathy was an interesting trait: while incredibly rare, it wasn't particular to any one specific race. Even a full-blooded human could be telepathic. I believed Sookie when she told me that she didn't know what she was if she wasn't human; once her secret was out – something she willingly admitted to, albeit under pressure - she'd been open and honest with me about her telepathy.

No, it was her other ability that was more likely to give some clue as to Sookie's nature. She'd referred to it as "influence", but it was remarkably similar to a vampire's glamour. Obviously, she couldn't be part vampire, since the only progeny we can create are the ones we make by blood.

Glamour wasn't limited to vampires, but different races called it different things. I didn't know of any race that referred to it as _influence_. Not only could she use some form of glamour, she herself was immune to it. That narrowed things down.

_Fuck_. Sookie was probably part fae. Whether or not she was aware of them, they had to be aware of her: they were aware enough of her family to seek revenge on those who caused them harm. If she had fairy protectors, then I had two options: get the hell out while the getting's good, or protect her well enough to ensure that their interference in her life was completely unnecessary.

Fairies, or any of the other types of fae creatures, were not to be trifled with. They were beautiful and irresistible to my kind, but they were far more frightening than we could ever be. The fae would never come out to humans as vampires had, but even so: humans were mistaken if they thought we were the top of the food chain. The only advantages vampires had over fairies were our numbers, and the ease with which we could create new vampires.

I turned my attentions outward and looked back down at Sookie's sleeping form. A stray hair had fallen over her face, and I lightly brushed it aside. She was so beautiful, so unlike any creature I'd ever been with; even when I wasn't sure whether or not she intended me harm, I felt the pull between us. It wasn't just her scent, wasn't just her blood; there was something deeper, more mysterious.

In such a short amount of time, she had already affected me. I was _so_ fucked.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	11. The plot thickens

A/N: I've gotten a bit ahead of myself in the writing process: the next 2-3 chapters are already in various states of writing/proofing. The temptation is to post them all _en masse_ (primarily because I will do things for feedback that I'd never do for a Klondike bar), but I also like the idea of having something to post every day. I've decided to go with the latter approach; personally, I'd rather have it on the regular, rather than experience a monsoon after a drought.

Speaking of feedback… is it customary for writers to respond to every comment? If so, I'm going to feel like a massive heel. I've tried to respond to every comment that had a question, but… Well, if I've been remiss, I offer my sincerest apologies, and I'm afraid ignorance will have to remain my sole excuse.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

On the rare occasions that I've woken up somewhere other than my own bed, I experienced a moment of confusion wherein I tried to remember how I'd gotten there. When I woke up spooned in front of Eric, I immediately knew exactly where I was, how I got there, and what we had done before I fell asleep. I smiled and snuggled closer.

After a few minutes, I realized I should probably get up and get going. I looked around for a clock, finally spying one on the nightstand on the other side of Eric's bed. Almost noon, wow.

Eric had left the bathroom light on for me; otherwise, the room would have been pitch black. It proved to be more difficult than I expected, but I was finally able to pry myself out from under Eric's heavy grasp. Even his snuggles were intense.

When I went into the bathroom, I found that he'd folded my clothes, dirty as they were, and left them on the counter along with a note:

_Lover,_

_As much as I would love to have you in my arms when I wake, I know you have to return to your home in Bon Temps._

_I have already arranged for your car to be delivered here. It should be waiting out front for you. Your keys are on the kitchen counter along with your other things. I have programmed my number into your cell phone - use it as often as you like._

_I look forward to seeing you again,_

_- E._

I folded the note and put it back on top of my clothes. I looked up at my reflection and laughed. The sex hair I'd been sporting when we left Fangtasia last night was nothing compared to the rat's nest I had going on now. A shower was definitely in order, but first I would need to get my Fangtasia shirt – hopefully that was amongst the 'other things' he'd mentioned in the note.

That was when I realized I had a minor problem: I had nothing to wear between the bedroom and the kitchen, and only the vaguest notion of the distance between the two rooms. Well, vampires must like their privacy, which meant that the blinds or curtains would be drawn. It wasn't like Eric was going to wake up anytime soon; even if he did, I doubted he would complain about me walking around naked. I shrugged, then giggled at the thought of being able to tease him for having missed a good show.

With that in mind, I left the bathroom and carefully opened the bedroom door. It turned out that there was a set of two doors, so I didn't have to worry about accidentally letting any ambient daylight into his resting place. I found the kitchen easily, where I found more than a few things waiting for me on the counter.

He'd brought my bag and the Fangtasia t-shirt in from the Corvette, but there was also another bag waiting for me. When I peeked in, I found a new pair of black low-rise jeans in my size. Aww, yay! I did a little happy dance. That meant I didn't have to pray for a breezeless day, but no doubt Gran would have a thing or two to say about my new clothes. I grabbed the shirt and jeans and made my way back to Eric's bathroom for a shower.

He was still in the same position I'd left him. I hadn't expected him to move, since he'd explained before I fell asleep that he'd be 'dead' for the day, and that I shouldn't be alarmed. As I took my shower, I thought about how odd it was to have such easy access to a sleeping vampire. He couldn't have made a habit of inviting women over and letting him stay while he slept; he wouldn't have lived nearly half as long if that had been the case.

It was odd, the connection between us. The amount of time we'd known each other was still in easily-countable hours, but conversation came to us so naturally, and our personalities meshed so well, it was hard to believe I hadn't known him for years. While I didn't have anything else to compare it to, the sex had been amazing. There was definite chemistry between us. I knew I wouldn't take advantage of him, but I still couldn't figure out why he was so quick to trust me.

After taking a shower, I got dressed and borrowed one of his hairbrushes to put my hair back into a simple ponytail. I saw a notepad and pen on his nightstand and decided to leave a note for him as he had for me. Once that was done, I made my way back out to the kitchen, collected the rest of my things, and set the side door so that it would lock behind me as I left. My car was, as promised, parked out in front of his house.

Just as I was driving out of the subdivision, I found myself with another minor problem on my hands: I had no idea where I was. I vaguely remembered Eric having turned right into the neighborhood, so I turned left and hoped I was aimed roughly in the direction of Shreveport. Before too long, I saw signs pointing me in the direction of the highway, and I was on my way back to Bon Temps.

* * *

When I got home, I found a note from Gran stuck to the fridge: she had gotten a ride to church, and wouldn't be home until afterward. I still had another twenty minutes before she'd be getting back. Phew. I went straight to my bedroom and changed into a set of my own clothes. She'd ask about the new ones eventually, but not until the next time we did laundry. I set my dress to soak in the sink in my bathroom, and went back out to the kitchen to start putting together some lunch.

I was just sitting down at the table with a sandwich and some chips when I heard a car pulling into the drive. A car door slammed, Jason walked into the house a minute or two later.

"Hey, Sook! Where's Gran? You got one of those sandwiches for me?"

I sighed and handed him my plate, since I hadn't started eating yet, and got up to make another sandwich for myself. "Hey, Jason. Gran's still at church, she should be home soon."

"Thanks. You didn't go with her?"

I'd been digging in the fridge for the lunch meat, and I stuck my head a bit further in, hoping that he wouldn't hear my reply well enough to catch on. "No, I uh, just got home myself."

"Mmph." Saved by the full mouth.

"So how's work been going, Jas?" I could hear another car crunching on the gravel outside; most likely Gran, coming back from church.

"You know how it is: filling potholes, cleaning up road kill, and harnessing wild unicorns." That was an old joke of ours; our jobs were so repetitive, we'd often toss in silly things that we obviously couldn't have done during a normal day – anything from slaying dragons to solving world hunger. "Wait. Did you just say you just got home?"

Saved by the door, this time. "Hey Gran! How was church?" I asked.

"Hey Sookie. Jason! C'mere and give your Gran a hug."

"Yes, ma'am!" He got up to hug her and they sat down at the table.

"Gran," I said, "Have you eaten lunch yet?"

She shook her head. "I didn't know if I'd be making lunch for one, so I decided to wait until I got home."

I handed her the sandwich I'd just made and started to make another, hoping no one else would show up to steal that one from me.

As I sat down, Gran looked at me with a knowing grin. "How was your date last night, Sookie?"

"We had a blast, actually. He's a lot of fun."

Jason looked surprised. "You had a date? Damn, Sook. 'Bout time. Who's the lucky fella? Anyone I know, or anyone I need to beat up?"

Gran whapped him upside the back of his head for cussing in her house, and I laughed. "I met him in Shreveport, and I doubt you know him _or_ could beat him up."

"Big guy, huh? What's his name?"

"About six foot four," I said, "And his name's Eric."

"I met him last night," Gran told Jason. "He seems nice enough. Sookie sure thought so."

I blushed, and Jason finally put two and two together. "Wait, Sook, didn't you say earlier that you'd only just got home? Were you out all night with this guy?"

I grinned and took a bite of my sandwich. Talking with one's mouth full was a big no-no in Gran's house.

Jason chuckled and turned to Gran. "Hey, you hear about Dawn?"

"I _did_, isn't that horrible? Bon Temps has always been so peaceful, and now we've got not one, but two murders."

I nearly choked on my sandwich. "Wait, what? Which Dawn? Who else? Murdered?"

Jason filled me in. "Dawn Green. The other was Maudette Pickens. You actually warned me about both of them, Sook. Good thing, too. They were both found dead with fang marks on them."

That time I did start choking. "Oh crap! I've got to tell Eric about this."

Jason looked confused. "Why would Eric care? You said he's from Shreveport, I doubt he'd know 'em."

"Um, he might have some unique insight. He runs a club in Shreveport."

Jason groaned. "Tell me he's not a vampire, Sook."

"Jason Corbett Stackhouse!" Gran scolded. "What do you have against vampires?"

He paled at the Gran's use of his full name, and stumbled around for a response. "Uh, nothing ma'am. I just… if there's a vampire killer out there, I don't know how I feel about Sookie dating one of them."

"Humans kill each other all the time. What exactly do you expect your sister to do, become a nun? Besides, Eric'd be a fool to hurt Sookie."

I raised my eyebrow at that. While I didn't think Eric would hurt me, I wondered what Gran knew that I didn't.

"Gran, you sure spooked Eric last night. What on earth did you say to him when I was out of the room?"

"You mind your business, child, and I'll mind mine." Hell, I guess I'd never know.

With that, Jason and Gran got back to gossiping about the latest local scandals. I turned back to my sandwich and made a mental note to call Eric sometime this evening.

* * *

**Eric POV**

The first thing I smelled when I woke up was Sookie. I knew she wouldn't be here with me; waking up to her scent was almost painful. I looked over at the pillow and found a note that she'd left for me.

_Eric,_

_Thank you for the clothes, even if the jeans do look a bit expensive. I'll have you know that you are in so much trouble for leaving them in the kitchen._

_Good thing your shades were drawn, otherwise your neighbors would have gotten quite a show. Too bad you had to miss it._

_- S._

I groaned at the idea that Sookie might have walked naked through my house, and made a beeline for my study. Silly woman probably didn't consider that I might have security cameras inside my house.

I'd thought she might have been teasing me, that maybe she'd worn a towel or used one of my shirts, but no: she quite calmly strolled from the bedroom to the kitchen, and back, completely nude. I admired the footage a few times before noticing that she hadn't bothered to explore any other parts of the house.

There wasn't any logical explanation for it, but I'd known that she wouldn't be a threat to me while I was at rest. Even so, seeing the proof of that made me want her even more. Honestly, if I were left to my own devices while she slumbered in her bed, I would have at _least_ inspected her lingerie drawer.

I grabbed my cell phone so I could send her a text message: _I have security cameras. Are you still naked? ;K -E_

She must have been busy, because it took her a few minutes to get back to me: _Tell me you're kidding. -S_

I laughed and sent: _My favorite part was when you wiggled your ass in my kitchen... -E_

It wasn't long before I got a response: _Oh, you are in SO much trouble. -S_

This woman would be the final death of me. I responded: _How soon should I be expecting your wrath? –E_

A few seconds later, my phone rang. When I saw that it was her number, I grinned. "That was quick, lover."

She laughed. "How exactly does one punish a thousand year-old vampire?"

"Mm, right now your not being here feels like pretty severe punishment, but I have some lovely videos to console me." I could almost hear her blushing over the phone.

"Please tell me you don't have cameras in your bedroom."

I snickered. "That's not a bad idea, I'll have to look into it. Unfortunately, I never thought I'd need them, since there are no windows and I normally keep it locked."

"Mmph. Oh, hey, I heard about something else you might want to look into. Apparently there are two different women in Bon Temps who might have been killed by vampires within the past week or so."

I sat up. "What? Tell me everything."

"I don't know much, I'd only heard about it from Jason when I got home this afternoon. Their names were Dawn Green and Maudette Pickens. They were found with fang marks on their bodies, but I don't know the exact causes of death. I might be able to dig up some photos of them from various newspaper clippings at the library, if that might help."

"It might. Could you bring them by tonight?" I had ulterior motives: I wanted to see her again.

She laughed. "Sorry. Even if the library wasn't closed on Sundays, it'd definitely be closed by this time. I'll see what I can find tomorrow. Besides, you still need to make sure I'm safe from Pam's revenge before I can show my face at Fangtasia."

I frowned. "I'd never let her hurt you."

"Perhaps not, but I didn't exactly hurt her, either. Hey, I've got to get going. My dinner's almost ready."

The thought of having my own dinner from Sookie's veins instantly made me hard; she was such a tease, even unintentionally. "See you tomorrow, then?"

"Tomorrow it is. See you then."

We hung up and I went to go shower and get ready. It would be a quiet night for the crowds at Fangtasia, but I had business to attend to.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	12. Dawn and Maudette

A/N: For those of you who've been requesting that I update often, have no fear! I'll be publishing one chapter per day, and I've already written a few chapters ahead. Just started working on chapter 15 last night.

* * *

**Eric POV**

I should have known, should have expected it. Stealing the shower knobs from my office bathroom hadn't been enough. Pam must have come back to Fangtasia before sunrise this morning, and Long Shadow must have helped. There was no fucking _way_ she could have done this by herself since getting here this evening.

My office looked like the inside of a butterfly's ass. Every available surface was covered in Post-It notes of wildly varying colors. She'd covered both the floor and the ceiling. Not even the light fixtures were spared.

"Pamela!" I shouted.

A few seconds later, Pam sauntered into my office. "You bellowed, Master?"

Bitch. "Close the door. We have much to discuss while you clean this up."

"Why me? Make one of the waitresses do it."

"You're faster and I know damn well that you did this. Besides, what I have to say is for your ears only."

She grumbled and grabbed a trash bag, but I knew she was curious.

"Tell me what happened last night."

"…The fuck? _You_ did that to me. I know you did. I could feel you compelling me to do it. What the hell, Eric?"

So she really did think I'd been the one to do that. Fascinating. "So you _did_ feel it?"

She stopped what she was doing and stared at me. "Why? Who else could have done it?"

"Before I tell you, let me make this clear: as your maker, I say that you are not allowed to harm her. Is that understood?"

She looked askance at me and nodded. "Yes, Master."

I continued. "It turns out that Sookie can influence humans and some vampires. Or at least, she could influence you last night. Doesn't appear to work on me."

Her eyes grew wide, and if her jaw hung any lower I'd need to help her retrieve it from the basement. "_She_ did that? What is she?"

"She says she doesn't know, and I believe her. I think she's part fae." I gave Pam a quick explanation on how I'd come to that conclusion, and she was scowling the entire time.

"This is bad, Eric," she said. "Really fucking bad. Even if her kin don't get their knickers in a twist over her consorting with vampires, she'll be a huge danger magnet around here. If you spend any more time with her…"

"The time I fully intend on spending with her is not up for discussion, Pamela."

My child was so shocked that she sat down on the couch, sending a handful of Post-It notes to a wrinkly demise.

"She has influenced you, hasn't she?"

"Oddly enough, she really can't. I can feel it when she tries anything with me." I still wondered how that was possible. We only had two test subjects for her abilities: Pam and myself. There was no way to know which of us was the exception and which was the rule. The only way to find out would be further testing with other vampires, and I didn't know if it was possible to do that without putting Sookie into danger.

Pam went back to cleaning and was quiet for a few minutes.

"Master, have you told the Queen about Sookie?"

I grumbled. "I plan to, I just haven't yet decided what to tell her. I also intend to get Sookie working under contract for us first."

"She was helpful last night, " Pam grudgingly admitted. "I wonder how many fuckrags she'd catch when I'm working the door. Clancy isn't anywhere near as thorough as I am."

"We'll find out on Monday. She'll be stopping by with some information, which is something else I need to talk to you about."

Pam raised an eyebrow at me and kept cleaning as she waited for me to continue.

"Two women from Bon Temps were recently killed, quite possibly by vampires. Dawn Green and Maudette Pickens: are those names in your 'vault'?" Pam had an astounding memory, and could recall every drivers license she'd ever seen pass through the front door of Fangtasia.

"They've both been here before, but not within the last week that I know of. Did Sookie know them?"

Fuck. "She didn't seem affected by their deaths, so I'd say probably not. She's going to see if she can dig up some pictures of them, which is why she'll be coming by tomorrow." I grinned at the thought of seeing her again.

Pam noticed my smile and gave me the hairy eyeball. "Are you quite sure she hasn't influenced you, Eric?"

"Yes, Pamela, I'm quite fucking sure. I'm going to go sit on my throne while you finish in here."

I started to leave my office, but paused at the door. "Oh, and Pam?"

"Yes, Eric?"

"She tastes better than she smells." I ducked out and quickly closed the door just in time to hear something hit it with a satisfyingly loud _thunk_. I could only hope it was one of her precious shoes that she'd just thrown.

I win. _Brat_.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

As per usual, there were a lot of things to be done when I arrived at work on Monday morning. There was a huge pile of books to check in, most likely dropped off Saturday night or sometime on Sunday. It was a few hours before I was able to grab the newspapers from the last few days.

Our small town paper didn't carry anything other than local news, so it didn't take long to find articles about the deaths of both Dawn and Maudette. Unfortunately, the brief clippings didn't list cause of death, they simply stated that foul play was suspected. I hoped the bit about the fang marks was only a nasty rumor.

While I was photocopying their pictures from the paper, I thought about the two women. I knew I hadn't seen them in the library before, but most of my age peers in Bon Temps weren't big readers. Most of the library regulars were students, housewives, and older folks who had already retired. Just out of curiosity, I typed both of their names into the library's registration system: as I'd suspected, both searches came up with nothing.

I tried to think about what other information I could dig up about them. If it turned out they hadn't been to Fangtasia, where else could they have met a vampire? Eric mentioned other vampire clubs, but he'd said that those sorts of places didn't advertise; not only that, they sounded far too dangerous for me to check out. Maybe the women worked somewhere that was frequented by vampires?

Gran and Jason might have that kind of information. I made a mental note to ask her at dinner, and to call Jason if Gran didn't know.

I managed to get all of my busywork done for the day, and I still had a few hours before we closed. I grinned and started poking through the card catalog to see what kind of books we had about Vikings.

* * *

The house smelled amazing when I got home. I found Gran in the kitchen. "Evening, Gran. Whatever you're cooking, it smells great!"

"Hello, dear. Fried chicken's already done, it's just keeping in the oven. Wash your hands and sit down while I fix you a plate."

I went over to the sink to clean up, and then sat down as ordered. "Ooh. Is Jason coming over? He'll be mad if he misses out. You know how he is about your fried chicken." I grinned, remembering the two-day sulk he'd thrown last time he'd missed a fried chicken night at the Stackhouse residence.

Gran laughed. "I called him to let him know. He said he'd be working late, but he'd try to stop by at some point. Did you have a good day at work?"

"I sure did. A few hours of busywork and enough time for some light reading. Also, I checked the papers to see what all I could find out about Dawn and Maudette. I found some articles, but there wasn't a lot of information."

Gran cleared her throat and set a plate of food in front of me. "No, neither of those two did much that was safe to print in a family publication. I'm guessing you wouldn't have seen either of them at the library, for that matter."

"Wow. I take it I was right to warn Jason before he dated them, then?" I started tucking in to my dinner, and it tasted better than it smelled.

Gran snorted. "If you didn't, I would have. I've heard way too much about them to let any grandson of mine near 'em with a ten-foot pole."

I believed it. If I thought Jason was a bad gossip, he'd learned from a master. Gran might not know everything that went on in our small town, but if she didn't know about something then it wasn't worth hearing. To be fair, Gran didn't spread gossip; it was more that she was willing to listen to as much of it as she could.

I told her that I'd wondered where Dawn and Maudette might have met vampires. Gran said she'd heard about the two of them being seen around town with bite marks that they were clearly not ashamed to show.

That meant that whether or not they'd ever gone to Fangtasia, their first meetings with vampires hadn't been their last.

"Hmn. Gran, you don't happen to know where either of them worked, do you?"

She frowned and thought about it. "Well, let's see now. Dawn was a waitress at Merlotte's, you know the place?" I nodded. Hadn't been there in ages, but they had great burgers.

"What about Maudette?"

"That I don't know, but Jason had to know her from somewhere; you might ask him when he stops by tonight."

I nodded. "That's a good idea."

When I was almost done eating, it occurred to me that I'd forgotten to tell Gran about my plans for the evening.

"Oh, by the way: I'm going to hop out to see Eric tonight."

Gran smiled bright enough to singe a vampire. "Is it already that serious, Sookie?"

"Even though you almost scared him off last night," I looked at her pointedly, "I think it might be. In any case, I promised him I'd swing by if I was able to find pictures of Dawn and Maudette, which I was."

"Hmn. I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about, Sookie dear. How could such a big strong vampire be afraid of lil ol' Adele Stackhouse?"

I laughed and resigned myself to enforced ignorance. Whatever she was hiding, she'd never tell me. When she got it in her mind to be stubborn about something, there was no changing her mind.

Gran looked at me and grinned. "If you're going to be out late tonight, you should rest up before you head out. Should I expect you home this evening?"

I snickered. "Yes, even though I'm sure Eric will try his hardest to persuade me otherwise. I'd never make it to work on time tomorrow if I had to drive all the way from Shreveport."

"You might want to pack a bag, just to be on the safe side. You go on, I'll clean up. If Jason shows up, I'll ask him about Maudette for you."

I kissed her on the cheek, thanked her, and went to my room to lie down. I did wind up packing an overnight bag, making sure I included a thin satin robe. Even if I didn't need it tonight, it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a change of clothes and some basic toiletries in my car.

* * *

I woke up about an hour after sunset. Jason had stopped by while I was sleeping; he was already gone by the time I got up, so I was glad that Gran remembered to ask him what I'd needed to know. I threw on my new jeans and a shirt that I knew would draw Eric's attention to my breasts. He'd seemed quite fond of them last night, and I wasn't above tormenting him for having failed to tell me about the security cameras in his house.

Before I left, I sent him a text message: _Am about to head over. Is it safe? -S_

A few seconds later: _That depends. What are you wearing? -E_

I rolled my eyes. _Naughty vampire. You're still in trouble, Mr Northman. I meant from Pam. –S_

His response was quick: _Pam knows. She has already taken her wrath out on my office and will not harm you. -E_

I laughed and wondered how Pam had gotten him back. I texted him again to let him know I'd be there in about an hour, and kissed Gran on my way out the door.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	13. A change in plans

A/N: Many thanks go out to **chiisai-kitty** for beta reading this chapter, and to all of you fantastic readers for leaving such sweet reviews!

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Fangtasia was dead (pun intended) when I got there. I didn't expect it to be too busy on a Monday; in fact, I was rather surprised they were open at all. Then I realized that while it didn't make sense from a human perspective, it would from a vampire point of view. A fair number of the local vampire population probably came to Fangtasia to find willing donors.

Pam spied my yellow rust-mobile as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. Either vampires are naturally good at completely unreadable expressions, or she had taken tips from Eric.

I took a deep breath and prepared for the worst. Eric had said he wouldn't let Pam hurt me, but that left an awful lot of wiggle room in the world of pranks.

"Sookie, so good of you to drop by." Uh oh. She was being far too friendly. "I was hoping we'd be seeing you again soon."

"Um, nice to see you too, Pam." I was keeping more than an arm's reach away from her. I knew it wouldn't do me much good, what with her vampire speed and all, but it made me feel the eensiest bit better to have a little distance between us.

"Eric tells me that you're the one to thank for last night's festivities. In retrospect, that was quite entertaining."

That had to be a damned lie. It was obvious she had something up her sleeves, and that she was trying to soften me up for the blow.

"Right," I said. "Well, I'll just mosey on in and see what Eric's up to. I'm just stopping by to bring some information for him."

She snorted. "Quite a drive to be 'just stopping by'. Should be easy to find him: last I saw, he was out in the club."

I walked in and saw that even if he hadn't been sitting on an elevated throne at the other end of the bar, it wouldn't have been hard to spot him: it really was a slow night at the club. Eric caught my scent the minute I'd come in, as evidenced by sudden appearance of his fangs. I'd already noticed that his fangs liked to come out to play whenever he got aroused. He beckoned to me and I made sure to put an extra swish in my hips as I oh-so-slowly sauntered towards him.

There were a few fangbangers who were visibly less than pleased at Eric's reaction to my arrival, so I was glad I'd tossed up my shields before they'd had a chance to see me. As long as I couldn't hear them think or say anything, they could glower at me all night for all I cared.

Eric held his hand out to me when I approached the stage. I smirked and went to sit in the chair next to him, but he quickly snagged me around the waist and plunked me directly in his lap.

"Well, hello to you too, Mister Hidden Camera."

He snickered and pulled me closer for a kiss. I briefly gave in, mostly to give the gawkers a show, and then shot him my best 'angry librarian' face. "You're going to have to do better than that if you expect to get off the hook anytime soon."

He leered and licked his lips. "I'll gladly give you better than that, lover."

It occurred to me that I was going about this all wrong. I snuggled in closer and started nibbling on his earlobe. "I'm sure you could, _lover_," I whispered in my best sex kitten voice. "But we have matters of business to attend to first."

He growled, and the hand that had been resting on my thigh seemed to be applying a much firmer grip. "Business can wait."

Just then a waitress appeared with drinks for us: a True Blood for Eric, and what looked like a gin and tonic for me. "Here are the drinks you requested, Master." She left before he had a chance to wave her off.

I pouted and bit my lower lip. "But, _Master_… I need to get this off my chest before I let you distract me. You wouldn't want me to forget, would you?"

While I said that, one of my hands _might_ have found their way to his chest. Said hand _might_ have started lightly scratching circles around one of his nipples. He growled, stood up with me in his arms, and started walking back to his office.

Crap. I'd known damn well that we couldn't really discuss the information I'd brought while we were out in the middle of the bar, and I'd gotten him all worked up before we'd had a chance to talk in private. I'd be lucky if I was able to tell him anything coherent before sunrise.

I had to admit, teasing him had gotten me worked up as well. Seeing him so easily aroused by me was a huge turn-on. He must have picked up on that, because he decided to turn the tables on me once we were behind closed doors. Instead of pinning me against the nearest wall, as he seemed so fond of doing, he sat down at his desk with me in his lap. He took my bag from me and set it down on the floor next to us.

He pulled me closer and began trailing kisses up and down my neck. "So, (kiss) lover, (nibble) tell me (lick) what's on your (nibble) mind."

I gulped as he continued to torment me. "Uh. I was able to um… find out some… st-stuff…"

"Hmn. You don't say." He reached under my shirt and began lightly pinching my nipples. "Tell me more."

Even I couldn't understand the noises that fell out of my mouth.

A knock at the door, quickly followed by Pam stomping into the room, was enough to startle me out of my Eric-induced stupor. I took the opportunity to bolt out of Eric's lap like a shot from a cannon.

Pam had seen my escape (temporary, I was sure) from a very smug looking Eric, and snickered at me as she closed the door behind her. "Sookie, you are so very entertaining. Eric, can we keep her around _forever_?" She gave me the least comforting toothy grin I'd ever seen, and I shivered. I figured she was just messing with me, but she was too damn good at being scary as hell.

Eric sighed and shot her a look. "Pamela, sit your ass down."

Pam pouted and flopped down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Eric looked at me and gestured for me to sit as well. I was less than comfortable with the idea, but he'd sworn he wouldn't let her hurt me. I cautiously sat down on the other seat and scooted it a few extra inches away from Pam. She chuckled.

Between Pam's cock-blocking entrance and the obvious tension between me and Pam, Eric was looking a little frustrated. I cleared my throat, not feeling entirely sympathetic.

"I have pictures of Maudette and Dawn in my bag; could you hand it to me, Eric?" Once he'd given me my purse, I dug out the pictures and gave them to him. He looked at them briefly before passing them to Pam.

She nodded. "Yes, I have seen both of these women here, multiple times. They did not cause any trouble while they were here, and while they seemed to leave alone, I do not know who they might have met or spoken to while they were here."

"Well," I piped in, "Gran told me this afternoon that both of those women had been seen around town with prominent fang marks, so they had to have met up with someone while they were here."

Eric looked less than pleased. "Pam, go now the Bon Temps police department. We need to know the cause of death and if there are any suspects already; glamour them if necessary."

Pam was gone in a flash, and Eric turned his attention to me. "Sookie, thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will take it form here."

I frowned. "Don't you want to know about the other things I found out?"

"What sort of things?"

"Well, Maudette worked at a gas station called the Grabbit Kwik, and Dawn worked at a bar called Merlotte's."

Eric looked thoughtful for a brief moment. "How is this relevant?"

I shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not sure if it is. Both of those jobs would have them regularly seeing half the damn town. Grabbit Kwik is the most conveniently located gas station, and Merlotte's is the only bar in town."

We sat in silence for a while; there wasn't much to do while we waited to hear back from Pam. I went to sit on the couch and think; I heard Eric call the bar to have someone bring us drinks. A waitress brought a True Blood for him and a fresh gin and tonic for me; I hadn't had a chance to touch the other one she'd brought me. I let my mind wander while Eric did some work on his laptop.

I was starting to get impatient, and I had nothing better to do than pick Eric's brain. My own thoughts weren't taking me anywhere.

"You asked Pam to find out the cause of death; what would that tell us about a vampire killer?" It seemed like a stupid question to ask; I knew that a large amount of information could be obtained through forensic investigations and autopsies. I just didn't know how much Eric knew about that sort of thing.

"If they weren't drained, then it wasn't a vampire who killed them," he replied. "No vampire would be able to resist that much blood. If neither of them were drained, and they were both murdered in the same fashion, that would imply a single human suspect."

"Do you know of any vampires in or near Bon Temps?" I asked.

"There aren't any vampires residing within a 15 mile radius of the town."

It looked like he was about to say more, but his phone rang. He began talking in Swedish, so I figured it had to be Pam on the other end. I got up from the couch and went back to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He listened to Pam for a few minutes, and didn't appear pleased with whatever news she had for him.

He hung up the phone and looked at me. "Those women were strangled, not drained."

"So that means they were killed by a human. Bon Temps is a small town; aside from these two, we haven't had any murders in almost five years." I felt dazed. As backwater as my hometown might be, it had always felt so safe.

"What else do you know of these two women?" Eric asked me.

"Not much, and it's all hearsay. Jason was interested in dating them at different times, but I warned him against it. Gran backed me up on that. From what she'd heard, they got around a bit."

"What had you heard about them?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, really. I think I went to high school with one of them, but I'd never met them that I can recall."

He shot me a strange look. "And yet you warned Jason against seeing them. Why?"

"Just a hunch, I guess. I had a bad feeling about them." I shrugged. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"What sort of hunch do you have about them now?"

I rubbed my forehead and thought about it. "I still think it's vampire-related, somehow. Bon Temps isn't nearly as progressive as Shreveport. If it wasn't a vampire who killed them, maybe it was someone who had a grudge against vampires."

Eric frowned. "Or a grudge against people known to have relations with vampires."

My eyes snapped open and I stared at Eric. "Oh, _fuck_."

"Whom have you told about spending time with me?" he asked.

"Just Gran and Jason. I don't share my personal life with anyone at work." It wasn't like I had many friends to share it with, either.

"And who would they have told?"

As happy as Gran was that I'd met Eric, I knew she wouldn't have been spreading any gossip about me. Jason was another story. He was protective of me, but that might have set him off bitching to his friends about his little sister dating a vampire.

"Gran wouldn't have told anyone, but with Jason? There's no telling."

He nodded decisively. "Then you will stay with me until this is cleared up. I will keep you safe."

"What about Gran?" If I was a potential target, what would happen if someone came after me at home and found Gran by herself? I shuddered at the thought.

"She can stay with me as well."

I huffed. "I can't commute between Shreveport and Bon Temps every day in my car."

"Then take a vacation or quit your job."

I blinked and scrunched up my face in his direction. "First off, you are _not_ running my life. Secondly, no one's going to attack me in broad daylight in a public place."

"I don't like it, but if I am able to get some daytime security measures in place, I might be willing to compromise on this point. You can use one of my cars for the commuting."

I scowled. He had an answer for everything.

"Ugh. First let me talk to Jason to find out if I need to kick his ass. This is all moot if he hasn't told anyone about us."

I called my brother, who seemed less than pleased with me for interrupting whatever (or _who_ever) he was doing. He was really irritated by my interrogation, but by the time we hung up, I was more than a little irritated with him. I was so screwed: he'd complained to his coworkers and his friends – while having beers at Merlotte's, no less. Any number of people could have overheard his conversations.

I sighed. Bless my idiot brother's heart, he might as well have taken out an ad in the paper.

It looked like Eric was about ready to lay some serious hurt on Jason, but I scowled at him. "Oh hell no, Eric. I've got dibs on smacking him around, if Gran doesn't beat me to it."

"Sookie, what time does Adele normally go to bed?"

I looked at my watch. "She's probably still up. I should call her."

He nodded. "Do that. Make sure she has her gun at the ready."

_Fuck_. Did he really think something would be going down tonight? We barely had anything more than supposition to go on, but… when I really thought about it, I wanted to err on the side of caution.

Gran was still awake, and had been having a quiet night reading in her easy chair. I didn't want to scare her, but she was a tough old bird, and thankfully didn't spook easily. I quickly filled her in on the situation; she agreed with Eric, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. She went so far as to ask whether or not Pam could pick her up, since she might still be in the neighborhood.

Before I could even get off the phone with Gran, I saw Eric pick up his phone to call Pam.

I sat back in my chair and felt dazed, irrationally irritated at Fangtasia. It felt like every time I came here, it sent my world careening off in a different direction.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	14. How Pam met Gran

A/N: You know, I had several plot points all sketched out for that last chapter, and Eric had to go and mess them up for me. Stubborn bastard just wouldn't shut up. Apparently, he's not quite done yet, either.

* * *

**Eric POV**

Pam made excellent time to the Bon Temps police department. My child might drive faster than me, if such a thing is even possible. She certainly gets pulled over less; I think that's because she drives a minivan, and no one seems to want to pull over what might be a soccer mom. I love my Corvette, but I've lost track of the number of cops I've glamoured in the past month alone.

After glamouring the cops at the station, Pam was able to get the necessary details: the women had died by strangulation, and they had not been drained of any blood. The investigation was still pending, and there were currently no suspects.

That meant there was a killer in Sookie's hometown. When she and I discussed the potential motives, it looked like that killer might have reason to go after her at some point. It had been her own brother who inadvertently put her in the line of fire. She might have called dibs on smacking him around, and I hoped she had a chance to do so before I met him, otherwise I might feel inclined to pick up the slack.

I called Pam back to give her further instructions. She was halfway back to Shreveport and grumbled when she heard she had to back to Bon Temps. I gave her directions to the Stackhouse residence, telling her to bring Adele back to my house and wait with her until Sookie and I arrived. I considered letting Pam know that Adele was more than a little feisty, but thought it might be more amusing if I didn't warn her ahead of time.

Sookie was sitting in a chair, looking for all the world like she was lost at sea. I went over to her, picked her up, and sat down on the couch with her in my lap. She snuggled against my chest as I kissed the top of her head. It was an odd time to notice how well we seemed to fit against each other.

"Pam is on her way to pick up Adele; she should be there any moment now. We will be meeting them at my house later tonight. You will both be safe. I will not let anything happen to you."

She laughed. "You're not scared to sleep under the same roof with Gran?"

I was proud of her for being able to find humor in the midst of a decidedly unfunny situation, and smiled. "It would not be in her best interests to cause me harm." I paused for a few seconds. "And we'll be keeping the bedroom doors locked."

Sookie chuckled softly, and then was quiet for a few minutes. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to keep you safe."

She turned to look at me. "But why? Please don't get me wrong: I really do appreciate everything you're doing. I just don't understand it."

There was no easy answer I could think of to give her; she was already overwhelmed. I simply tucked her head back under my chin and tried to comfort her.

* * *

**Pam POV**

I couldn't fathom my master's fascination with Sookie Stackhouse. Sure, she smelled _really_ fucking good, and wasn't hard on the eyes… but this was all going way too far, way too fast. Biting her made perfect sense, and I would have fucked her in a heartbeat. Bringing her – and her elderly grandmother – into his resting place was another thing entirely. Eric should know better than to be so careless, especially if this woman really was part fae.

Just as not all vampires are assholes, not all fairies are fuckrags. Each has the potential to be vicious and bloodthirsty. Vampires don't sparkle, and fairies don't turn pumpkins into coaches for scullery maids. A part-human with vindictive fae relatives was bad news.

One thing I will say for Sookie: there hadn't been a single night of tedium since she first walked into Fangtasia. I almost wanted to thank her for that, but she was a damn fool if she thought I was going to forget about that chicken stunt anytime soon. I wouldn't actually _do_ anything, since Eric wouldn't let me. Asshole. But I could let her wonder. Sometimes the anticipation of a falling anvil is worse than the impact ever could be.

And _fuck_ Long Shadow sideways for the idea with the Post-Its. I knew I'd be the one who would have to clean that shit up. Eric's reaction wasn't nearly amusing enough to make it worthwhile. Bastard.

The Good Times doughnut patrol took one look at me in my ridiculous Fangtasia "finery" and I knew I'd have to glamour them. Fine by me. My way was more efficient. The less time I spent there, the better. I glamoured them into telling me what I needed to know, and then left a few suggestions behind. Nothing big: the murderer wasn't a vampire; plaid curtains are beyond tacky; and Russian surf rock makes for wonderful hold music. Never underestimate the power of the Red Elvises.

Mission accomplished, I drove like a bat out of hell back to Shreveport. When Eric called to tell me to go retrieve Sookie's grandmother, I started thinking about all of the shoes I was going to get out of him for this. I may be a spoiled bitch, but he has only himself to blame.

As I drove up to Sookie's decrepit old house, I cackled. Her grandmother was going to _love_ me. I could see her now: a delicate, wrinkly old biddy who smelled of dry cat food and cheap face powder. Her reaction to my outfit would be priceless. She would lecture me about "kids these days", and I'd probably have to glamour her to get her to shut up about her weekly games of Bingo.

Eric told me that Adele would be expecting me, but there was no way he could have _prepared_ her for me.

I walked up to the door and rang the bell. I heard footsteps on the other side of the door, and a woman called out, "Who's there?"

"I am Pam. Eric sent me."

She unlocked the door, but didn't open it. "The door's unlocked. Go ahead and open it."

She hadn't invited me in. Maybe she wasn't completely senile. I ducked to the side, so that I wasn't in front of the door, and opened it.

I looked down and saw the shadow of Adele holding what I guessed was a shotgun. Oh, the _hell_ you say? I knew it wouldn't kill me, but I'd be damned if I let some old lady shoot me.

"Thank you, Pam. Could you come help me with my bag? It's a bit heavy for my old bones."

Sneaky bitch. She still hadn't invited me in. She just wanted me where she could see me.

"Can't be much heavier than that shotgun you've got." I said, still out of her line of sight. "Listen, Sookie would be really pissed if I had to do this the hard way, and Eric would kick my ass if I upset Sookie. So how are we gonna do this?"

"Tell me something interesting about Sookie."

I snorted. "To hear Eric tell it, everything about Sookie is probably interesting. For starters: Sookie Stackhouse, age 26, birth sign is Cancer. She showed up at Fangtasia three nights ago wearing a hideous pair of jeans and a ratty old shirt, likes gin and tonic, and bears the distinction of being the only telepath I've ever met. You want her drivers license number and blood type?"

Adele cackled and stepped out into the doorway. "Such a pleasure meeting you, Pam. I'd invite you in and offer you a True Blood, but don't you think we've wasted enough time?"

I smirked. She might actually be tolerable. "Let me get your bag for you."

In a few minutes, Adele and I were spraying gravel out of her driveway, headed back to Shreveport. She hadn't wanted to let it go, but I made her put the shotgun on the floor of the back seat. Last thing I needed was trigger-finger granny accidentally blowing a hole in my windshield.

"Do you really know how to shoot, or is that thing for show?" I asked.

She laughed. "Oh, I'm the one who taught my kids how to shoot. These days, Sookie's a better shot than me, but I could still hit 'em where it counts if I needed to."

"Could you teach me?"

Adele reached over and patted my leg. "Name your time and place, dear. Pretty thing like you needs all the advantages she can get."

Hell's bells. I think I liked this strange old lady.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

When Eric and I got back to his place, we found Gran and Pam in the living room, chatting up a storm. They seemed to hit it off, much to Eric's dismay. I could already imagine Pam teasing him about it.

Pam went off to pick up some "human necessities" while I got Gran settled in one of Eric's guest bedrooms. I was amused that she'd brought her shotgun, which she insisted on keeping by the side of her bed. She swore that she wouldn't shoot Eric, it just made her feel better having it nearby. Since we normally kept that particular gun in the hall closet, I wondered if she had another one stashed in her bedroom at home. We sat on the bed and talked about the events of the evening. Gran seemed to be handling it better than me; I felt pretty shaken up.

By the time I went back downstairs, Pam had come back. She and Eric were talking in Swedish while putting groceries away in the kitchen. It looked oddly domestic. Whatever they were talking about, it either didn't involve me or they didn't want me to know about it.

I interrupted them just long enough to let them know I was going to retire for the evening, and promptly went to Eric's room. He followed me so that he could show me how to work the security locks, and then told me he'd join me when he finished talking with Pam. I got ready for bed and was out almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

* * *

There were some growing pains while Gran and I got settled in at the Northman residence. Eric was apparently used to walking around his house naked. Gran did not approve. Gran, for reasons I couldn't begin to understand, scared the bejeezus out of Eric. Pam found that endlessly entertaining; she had her own house, but was spending more time at Eric's so that she could hang out with Gran. Eric did not approve, but was outnumbered on that point.

Eric kept putting off my requests to go back home to get more clothes. I knew I could have simple gone to the house when I was in Bon Temps for work, but I didn't want to break our promise: straight there, straight back, no stops along the way.

Every other day or so, he would sneak new articles of clothing (mostly lingerie) into my drawers. When I found them, he would feign ignorance while I fussed at him for spending money on me. I would wear them just long enough to get my scent on them, then leave them in odd places for him to find (and where I knew for certain that Gran wouldn't): on the chair in his office, in his laptop case, in the glove box in his car. I tried to set it up so that I wouldn't be with him when he found them; the resulting text messages were often quite entertaining.

I had decided that I wasn't mad at Eric for failing to tell me about the cameras in the house before my little naked saunter through the place, and would occasionally wiggle my butt in their direction. I wondered when he found the time to watch them; when I asked him about that, he told me they were motion-sensitive, and only recorded when they detected movement.

All things said and done, the three of us settled into a fairly easy routine.

Gran would wake up early and putter. She didn't get bored easily; she had brought several books with her, and I would bring more home from the library at her request. When she didn't feel like reading, she would knit, crochet, watch television, or talk on the phone with her friends. Eric had picked up a cell phone for Gran for that very purpose; she'd fussed at him for spending money on her, but I noticed she eased up on him after that.

I would wake up earlier than usual, have breakfast with Gran, and make the long commute from Shreveport to the Bon Temps library. I worked it out so that I was only there part-time; my boss had been itching to hire his niece in my position, and was using this opportunity to train her. Eric hadn't mentioned much about my daytime security, but I could sense that they were there. It had been a compromise, and while I didn't think anyone would attack me at the library, I figured it was better safe than strangled.

I would come home in the early afternoon, have a late lunch and chat with Gran, then take a nap until Eric woke up. He never let me out of bed right away, but I wasn't ever upset about that. When we did finally get up, he would try to convince me to go with him to Fangtasia. Sometimes I would, but sometimes I stayed home and hung out with Gran. When she went to bed, I would send Eric naughty text messages to try to lure him home early. It worked more often than not.

While I didn't like the circumstances that had brought us here, I found that I liked staying with Eric. Sometimes I had to remind myself that it was only temporary.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	15. A fortnight later

A/N: I hope no one's too disappointed, but I've realized that I'm way better at banter than I ever will be at lemons. I'll try to squeeze them in (*snicker*) when I can, but I make no promises.

* * *

**Eric POV**

Two weeks. Two glorious weeks of living with Sookie; I didn't want them to end. Waking up with her in my arms was quickly becoming one of my favorite parts of the evenings, second only to what we did after I woke.

Adele was keeping up to date on the news from Bon Temps, and no progress was being made on figuring out the murders. I couldn't say I was upset: once the killer was caught, no doubt Sookie would want to go back to her house.

I had a plan for when that day finally came: the contract for her position at Fangtasia was already written up, just waiting for her signature. Once she agreed to work for me, I would be guaranteed to see her no less than three nights a week – more, if I had my way. When I could convince her to come to the club with me, she would invariably pick a few problems out of the crowd. I offered to pay her for her efforts, but she refused, saying that she was merely repaying the favor of keeping her and her grandmother safe. I took the money I would have given her and used it to buy her new clothes and lingerie.

One night found me in a particularly disagreeable mood at the club. Sookie had stayed home, but her scent had tormented me all the way to Fangtasia, thanks to the panties I'd found stashed under the seat of my car. Minx.

Pam and I were scheming while I sat on my throne: I wanted to replace Sookie's old car with something safer and more reliable; something that didn't look like shit. She'd look fuckhot behind the wheel of a Corvette, but I knew she'd never go for that kind of car. She was still driving my SUV, but I knew she would refuse to take it with her when she went back to Bon Temps. The thought of her moving back made me even more irritable.

Sookie had not been receptive to the idea of my outright buying her a new car. It wasn't so much that she objected to _having_ a new car; more that she felt wasn't in a position to reciprocate. Pam and I were in the midst of plotting when my phone rang. When I saw that it was my accountant, Bruce, I knew something was wrong; there was no reason for him to be calling me after midnight. I answered the call and was in my office before he had a chance to say hello.

After a few minutes where he tried to beat around the bush, I got impatient with his stuttering and growled for him to get to the point. Someone had been stealing from Fangtasia, to the tune of almost $65,000. I told him to bring himself and his books to the club tomorrow evening, for the purpose of reviewing the numbers. I had no interest in double-checking his math; my main goal for bringing him there was to have Sookie read his mind for more information.

I wasn't upset about the amount of money; I'd spent more on a whim in a single evening. The problem was that I had a thief in my midst. Who the fuck could possibly think it was a good idea to steal from me?

Pam came into the office to see what was going on. "Eric, go home. In this mood, you're bound to kill someone in public."

I snarled at her and she rolled her eyes. "Pam, someone has been stealing from Fangtasia."

"Don't look at me. I put my recent shoe purchases on your personal cards."

Brat. "I know you wouldn't steal from the business, and this is more than a few pairs of shoes."

"Shit. How much?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Sixty-five thousand."

She whistled. "Yeah. That's a metric fuckton of shoes, even for me. When's Bruce coming in with the books?" she asked.

"Tomorrow night," I answered. "We'll close the club and have an employee meeting. Make sure everyone's here. Emphasize that anyone absent will have more to worry about than losing their jobs."

"Fine. Now go home and get laid or something. Only thing you can do here tonight is scare off the customers."

Yes. Sookie could no doubt improve my mood. Fuck this noise, I was going home.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I was curled up on the couch with a trashy novel when I heard Eric's car pull into the garage. I looked at the clock; he was home early. It was fun to tease him with the sneaky lingerie tricks, but I was starting to wonder if I was bad for business. His presence was one of the main draws of Fangtasia, and I probably shouldn't be luring him home so early.

Eric walked into the room, and instead of sitting next to me, he leaned up against a wall with his hands in his pockets.

"Where's Adele?" he asked.

"She went to bed about half an hour ago; she should be asleep by now."

"Good."

Without further word, he walked over to me and unceremoniously slung me over his shoulder. As he started walking to the bedroom, I laughed and smacked his ass; he growled and set me on my feet, pushing me against the wall. His lips were hard against mine before I could respond. He lifted me up and held me against the wall with his hips; I wrapped my legs around his waist and ran my hands through his hair.

God help me, I don't even _know_ where my clothes went. I was so wrapped up in him, around him, I barely felt the breeze, only half-heard the rip. Maybe later, much later, I would have to check the security videos… just to find my clothes, naturally.

How we didn't wake Gran, I'll never know. Eventually we wound up in bed, but not before thoroughly christening the stairs, hallway, light-lock, and at least one wall of his bedroom. The video footage would be epic, indeed.

I could tell he was in a mood; this was beyond his normal insatiability. We were lying in bed; Eric was on his back, and I was curled up around him with my head on his shoulder. He was absentmindedly playing with my hair as he stared at the ceiling.

"Do you want to talk about whatever's bothering you?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, we have to talk about it," he said. "I need you to come to Fangtasia tomorrow."

I propped myself up and looked at him. "What happened?"

"Someone has been stealing from the club. I would appreciate your assistance in figuring out who is responsible."

"Of course I'll help," I said. "Do you have any ideas about who might be stupid enough to steal from vampires?"

He snorted. "It has to be one of the human employees. All of the vampires know better than to steal from _me_."

There it was again; every now and then he would drop hints about his "place" amongst his kind. I never asked, and in a lot of ways I really didn't want to know. Whenever it had come up in the past, I tried to change the topic. I knew that it was inevitable that I find out more; I also figured that once I knew a little, I would be quickly forced to learn a lot. It would be a single drop from the skies that preceded the deluge.

I sighed. "I suppose that when I start working at Fangtasia, I'll need to know more about your super secret hierarchies, won't I?"

Eric looked at me, somewhat startled. We hadn't openly discussed my working at Fangtasia in much detail, but I knew that we'd both been thinking about it.

"When would you like to start?" he asked cautiously.

I thought about it for a moment. "I guess it depends on the terms of whatever contract we draw up. Trying to juggle my job at the library, spending time with you, spending time with Gran… it's all a bit much at the moment."

Eric didn't respond, but he didn't have to. I knew what he wanted to say. He didn't like my job at the library. Not only did he feel it was dangerous for me to be going back to Bon Temps, he felt the job itself was beneath me. We'd had that conversation before.

I sighed. "You're in luck. My boss at the library likes me well enough, but would rather have his niece working in my place. Yay for nepotism, right? He's been training her these past two weeks, since I've only been working part-time. Next time I go in, I'll give my notice."

He grinned triumphantly at me. "I knew you'd come to your senses."

I scowled at him and pinched one of his nipples, hard.

"Ooh, do that again."

I rolled my eyes and lay back down with my head on his shoulder. "You're impossible."

"You seem to manage." I could hear the leer in his voice.

"Mmph." I cleared my throat. "So how's this going to work? I mean, tomorrow night."

"I've had Pam call everyone for a staff meeting tomorrow. My accountant will be there with the books. I'll have you read him first. From there, we'll work our way through the human employees."

"What if none of them are guilty?" I asked. "What if it's a vampire? I can't read vampire minds."

He thought about that for a moment. "One of the humans may have seen something suspicious. Just to be on the safe side, we'll screen people individually, in my office."

I nodded and went back to the previous topic. "You've already drawn up a contract, haven't you?"

Eric chuckled. "Two weeks ago. We can go over it tomorrow before the meeting, but there's something we should discuss first."

I don't know what I was expecting him to say, but it wasn't what came out of his mouth next: "I want you to have some of my blood before you start working at Fangtasia."

"Why?"

"Well, it's something we really should have done already. I'd be able to tell if you were in trouble, and it would make it easier for me to find you. Other vampires would be able to smell my blood in you; if they wanted anything from you, they would have to come to me for permission."

I sat up and looked at him. "Wait, what?"

"To put it simply: with my blood in you, another vampire would understand that you were mine."

"Okay, the terminology makes me a bit twitchy," I admitted, "But you're basically saying that if we do this, other vampires have to leave me alone?"

"The short answer is yes," Eric said.

"What's the long answer?" I asked.

"The long answer is that between your obvious appeal and your less obvious abilities, you would be seen as a hot commodity in the vampire community. If you were not tied by blood to a specific vampire, you would garner no small amount of attention. Much of it unpleasant, no doubt. With my position, there are only two vampires who would date to challenge a blood tie between us."

I blinked. It didn't really come as a surprise to hear that vampires would love to sink their fangs into me; goodness knows Eric wasn't complaining. Nor did it surprise me that they would be more than a little interested in my telepathy. Somehow, getting confirmation of these things from Eric didn't make me feel particularly happy.

"Who are these other two vampires, and what makes them special?"

"One of them would be my maker, Godric. As my maker, I must obey and defer to him."

"What," I interrupted, "Like Pam obeys and defers to you?"

Eric laughed. "Pam is spoiled rotten, but she does what I tell her when it matters. She is exceedingly loyal."

"Is Godric someone we have to worry about? And who's the other one?"

He shook his head. "Godric is fair, and would not make any unnecessary demands on either of us. The other is... well, without going into detail, I guess you would call her my boss."

Oh dear. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what _necessary_ demands might look like, but I decided to let that one go for the time being. "Are you withholding details because you can't tell me or because I don't want to know?"

"A bit of both, but mostly the latter." He frowned. "For your own safety, you should know more about our ways."

I checked the clock. We had several more hours until dawn. No time like the present. Good thing it was the weekend, and I didn't have to get up for work in a few hours.

"Okay, Eric. Lay it on me."

Lay it on me, he did. Apparently each state in the US had its own vampire monarch, and each state was divided in Areas. There were five Areas in Louisiana, with each one run by a Sheriff. Apparently, Eric was the Sheriff of Area 5, and his "boss" was the Queen: Sophie-Anne Leclerq.

Even though I smelled unusual, I would still be considered human, and therefore would be outranked by even a day-old vampire. When Eric and I were in the company of other vampires, I would have to be docile and submissive towards him; I should not try to assert my independence or challenge his authority in any way. To do so would make him appear weak, and that would be bad on a number of levels.

By the time Eric was finished explaining everything, I was sitting cross-legged on the bed with my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands. I hadn't interrupted him or stopped him to ask any questions. I had been taking it all in, silently.

After a few minutes of silence, Eric sat up. He leaned in and tucked his hand under my chin, lifting my face so he could look in my eyes. "Talk to me, lover."

"It's just a lot of information to process, Eric. There's a lot that I don't like, but I recognize that there's no way around it."

"Tell me what you don't like."

"All that submissive stuff? I mean, I don't want to stick out any more than I already do, and I don't want to cause you any problems, so ultimately it makes sense... but it chafes."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "How is it any different from your club antics? Your public façade? This is just a different mask to wear in a different setting. It doesn't have to have any impact on the way you and I treat each other behind closed doors."

I huffed. "See, I _know_ that, just as I know I'll get used to it. It's going to take some time to adjust to the idea."

Eric pulled me to him lay back down. I curled around his chest and wrapped my arm around his waist.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	16. To catch a thief

A/N: Don't be mad at me for holding out on the lemony goodness. Honestly, I find it so hard to write them... if I tried to squeeze them in where they should be, I wouldn't be able to update this story anywhere near as often.

Have no fear! I'm thinking about setting up a collection of skipped bits; if I did, I would call it "A Smarter Sookie: Here's Outtakes, Lemons & Extras." Major props to **Miral** for helping me find my missing H. I do so love my acronyms. (Although I'm mildly concerned some admin might notice the name and take it down... think it'd be a problem? Comment and let me know what you think.)

* * *

**Eric POV**

Sookie continued to surprise me. She was less resistant to change than most humans I'd met. She didn't try to run from her problems: she faced them head-on. I'd hit her with more than a few bombshells in a single night, and she took it all in stride.

As I lay in bed with her in my arms, I thought about one of the ways in which Pam liked to tease Sookie – flashing her fangs and asking me if we could keep her around _forever_. Sookie never responded in a way that gave any clue as to how she felt about the idea, figuring that Pam was only trying to get a rise out of her. The more I knew Sookie, the more I wanted her; the more I thought about turning her. She would make an excellent vampire. Gods, she would be fucking brilliant.

In the pre-Revelation days, I would have simply done it. These days it was all about choices. There were consequences for forced turnings; mostly monetary, granted… but consequences nonetheless. I didn't give a shit about the money, but I did care about how Sookie felt about me. That was a strange thing to realize; I wasn't accustomed to caring what anyone thought of me, let alone _felt_.

For the time being, vampire-Sookie would have to exist solely in my fantasies. I was so deep in thought envisioning what a magnificent vampire Sookie could be, it startled me when she spoke.

"So about this blood exchange thing… how do we go about it? And are there any side effects I should know of?" She'd shifted positions, and was resting her chin on my chest, looking up at me.

I smirked. "The 'how' is fairly simple: bite, drink." She rolled her eyes at me. I continued, "As far as side effects: your senses will be sharper, you'll be physically stronger, your libido will increase, and you'll probably dream about me."

"What," she laughed, "You mean more than I already dream about you?"

"Mmm. Tell me about these dreams, lover." I took hold of one of her hands and began gently nibbling her fingertips.

She flashed a wicked grin at me. "Not bloody likely, Viking."

This woman was going to be the final death of me. Temptress.

Sookie giggled when she realized what she'd just said.

"Tease," I grumped.

She smirked. "It's only a tease if you don't follow through."

I wanted to eat her face when she smirked at me like that, especially with her hair all wild from the last few hours we'd spent. There was no possible way she could understand what she did to me, what she was _doing_ to me. I could spend decades worshiping and ravishing this woman, and it would never be enough.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

When I woke up in the near-pitch black of Eric's bedroom, I realized just how right he'd been: heightened senses, indeed. I could see quite clearly, even though the only light in the room came from the soft red glow of the clock on his nightstand.

Then there were the _dreams_; he hadn't been kidding. If my libido were enhanced any further, I might need to get it some boots and a cape. Holy fucksticks. Damn shame he was still dead to the world when I woke. I dragged myself out of bed and went to the bathroom; I was not amused by what I found there. There was no way I could get out of going to Fangtasia, and on that night of all nights, my body had to remind me that I was female. _Gee thanks, body. So kind of you to set me up like this._

For that matter, it occurred to me that I shouldn't even be around when Eric woke up. I looked at the clock and groaned when I realized I only had about an hour until sunset. _Fuck_.

After the quickest shower of my life, I put on my least sexy cotton underwear, some jeans, and a loose Fangtasia t-shirt. Temptation would be high enough without my outfit adding to the problem.

When I got downstairs, Gran was sitting in the kitchen. Whatever she had cooked smelled awesome.

"Hmn. 'Bout time you joined the living, Sookie dear," Gran said. "You taking on vampire hours, now?"

I grimaced. "Kind of hard to avoid, these days. Listen, I feel really bad…"

"Hush, child," she interrupted, "I know we don't see each other as much these days, but if Eric wasn't being so hospitable, we mightn't be seeing each other at all."

Gah. She had a point. A potentially freaky point, but a point nonetheless. I fixed myself a plate of meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans. Yum. Strange to be eating dinner for breakfast, but I was getting used to it.

"Are you going out tonight, Sookie?" Gran asked.

"Ugh. Kind of have to, actually. I'm helping Eric with a problem that's come up at the club."

"Oh, dear. I hope it's nothing serious."

"It's not a life or death sort of thing. I'd just rather not go hang out around vampires tonight." I cleared my throat and blushed.

Gran looked at me for a moment and then nodded slowly. At that moment, Eric happened to walk in. He took one look at me, and his nostrils flared.

"Eric Oliver Northman!" Gran yelled. "Don't you flare your nostrils at my granddaughter. I expect you to behave like a gentleman towards her tonight. You remember what I told you." She gave him a look.

While I tried to hide my amusement, he snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in and gaped at Gran.

I stared at her. "Gran…?"

She gave me a _look_. Whoops. None of my business, message received loud and clear. I decided to kill two birds with one stone: get out of Gran's line of sight, and get Eric some sustenance.

Thinking it better to keep some distance between him and Gran, Eric leaned up against a wall and watched me as I heated up a bottle of True Blood for him. He gratefully took it and I sat back down to my dinner.

"So, Eric," Gran said, suddenly the perfect voice of southern hospitality, "Sookie tells me you're having problems at Fangtasia. That sounds unfortunate."

"Yes ma'am, but I expect we'll get it all straightened out this evening, with Sookie's assistance."

"Hmn. She signed that contract yet?"

What? When had Eric and Gran talked about that? Hell, I'd only heard about it last night.

He shook his head. "Not yet, but that's the first item on our agenda this evening."

Gran narrowed her eyes at him. "See that it is. Now, if you two will excuse me, I've got a hot date with the television. Don't want to miss my stories. One of them is absolutely horrible, but it has such lovely eye candy."

I tried to not laugh: my Gran, the cradle-robber.

"You go on, Gran, I'll load up the dishes." Eric may not have much use for a kitchen, but he had all of the latest gadgets and appliances in his house. I was really going to miss that dishwasher.

She kissed my forehead and shot Eric a pointed look on her way into the living room. Once he deemed it safe, Eric sat down at the table next to me.

I couldn't resist it any longer. "… _Oliver_? Really?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't have a middle name. She makes up a new one every time she yells at me. Last time, it was Gerald. Does she ever do that with you? The middle name thing?"

"Not anymore. I haven't pissed her off that much since high school. So, I'm never going to find out what Gran told you, am I?" I asked.

Eric gave me an inscrutable look and took a sip of his True Blood. Silent bastard.

"Fine," I huffed. "Be that way. I just don't get why on earth you're scared of Gran."

"What makes you think I'm scared of her?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "It's either an act for her benefit, or she threatened you with something. I just can't figure out what she could possibly say that would intimidate a thousand year-old vampire."

"Well, it must be an act, then." He smirked. "In any case, have you asked her about it?"

"Once. I know better than to ask outright again."

He laughed. "That settles that, then. Are you ready to go to Fangtasia?"

"Ugh. The timing is horrible. How obvious is… it?"

Eric closed his eyes and slowly took a deep breath. He hummed as he exhaled. "I'd say it's a very good thing you had my blood last night."

Right. 'Bout that. Moving right along to another topic. "Okay, so, here's my thinking: we go in the employee entrance, and I hide in your office as long as we're there. I'll read the human employees in there, one at a time. If any vampires need to be questioned, can it be done elsewhere?"

"We can use Pam's office for that, if necessary."

"Will there even be any other vampires there tonight?" I asked.

"Pam and Long Shadow are the only vampires who work there, technically. All of the Area 5 vampires come in on a rotating schedule, but they weren't summoned tonight. We won't bring them in unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Where are we going to stash the people we've questioned, when we're done with them?"

It took me a minute to figure out why Eric was staring at me with a particularly lusty gaze. When I realized the miscommunication, I started giggling.

"No, Eric, we're not going to kill them after questioning."

He was pouting. "Hmph. Then why are you suggesting we 'stash' them somewhere?"

"It occurred to me when I was taking my lonely shower," I said, ignoring him when he started growling, "That this might be the work of more than one person. If that's the case, we shouldn't have the ones we have questioned mingling with the ones we haven't."

Eric shrugged. "Pam would hear them talking."

"Could she hear them passing notes?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"They could be texting each other from anywhere. And if they were in separate rooms, it would be that much easier to get away with it."

Crap. Hadn't thought of that. I sighed. "I guess we'll just have to have Pam watching them like a hawk."

"Already part of the plan, lover." He smiled. "Shall we be off, then?"

* * *

**Pam POV**

This was bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. The evening started out bad and just kept getting worse.

I knew why we were at the club, but Eric hadn't told me to give out that information. So I didn't. I didn't even tell Long Shadow. I was still mad at him for spiking my True Blood with Tabasco sauce two nights ago. If he wanted to know why we were there, he could fucking ask Eric.

Eric and Sookie got there after everyone else; he's the boss, he can do that. They didn't even bother coming out into the main room. They just went straight into his office. Rude. Eric sent me a text message to let me know that they'd be in there for another half-hour. Fucking hell.

Thirty-_five_ minutes later, Eric came out and stood in front of me.

"We're going to be doing things a little differently tonight," he said in Swedish. "We will be questioning the humans in my office, one at a time. I will need you to keep an eye on the room."

I glared at him. "I don't even get to watch the interrogations?" I made sure to mangle my Swedish pronunciations, just to irritate him.

"No, Pamela, you don't. I'll explain later. Give me two minutes, then send the first human back."

Without even waiting for me to respond, he walked back into his office and shut the door. I glared around the room for a good two and a half minutes, then dragged the closest human back to his office.

That fuckhead didn't even let me into the room. What. The. Fuck.

After about ten to fifteen minutes, he "called" me back to his office to bring one human out and escort the next one in. Lather, rinse, repeat. For two hours.

His office was pretty well soundproofed against human ears, but I could usually hear most of the louder noises of what went on in there. I didn't catch a single scream. Barely a whimper. A few waitresses came out crying, and that was the best I was going to get. It was completely and totally unfair. Eric and Sookie got to have all the fun. He knows how much I enjoy a good interrogation party. Even Long Shadow looked pissed.

After the last human was questioned, Eric sent both me and Long Shadow a text message, telling us to meet him in my office. I gave the humans another glare and dared them to move an inch.

Long Shadow and I stomped into my office; Eric was already there. We both stood there and waited for him to say something.

He didn't bother speaking. Faster than even I could see, he pounced on Long Shadow and held him by the throat, up against the wall.

"I will only ask once: why were you stealing from me?" He growled. Fuck. It was _Long Shadow_?

Long Shadow just scowled at him.

Without taking his eyes or hands off of the asshole, Eric said, "Pam?"

I grinned as I went over to my desk and got out my leather gloves. Once they were safely on, I got out my favorite silver bindings.

Looks like tonight _was_ going to be fun, after all.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	17. Fun for NOT the whole family

A/N: This chapter's a bit short, but I promise that the next one is already written and will be posted tomorrow.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Poor Eric was having an incredibly difficult time keeping himself together; he couldn't put his fangs away if he tried. He was a little more touchy-feely than usual, but still well within the realm of respectful. I wondered how much Gran's warnings had to do with that.

When we got to Fangtasia, Eric and I went through the employee entrance in the back, and ducked straight into his office. The less I was around vampires tonight, the better.

He sat down behind his desk while I took a seat in one of the chairs in front of it. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a thin manila folder, which he then handed to me. I opened it up and saw my contract.

"Take some time, read it over. I've already had my lawyer check it for any loopholes: there are none." He got out his Blackberry and started sending someone a text message.

I looked up at him. "Don't we have people waiting on us out there?"

"The party doesn't start until I say it does. Take as much time as you need. They're getting paid to sit out there and wait."

Hell, if they were getting paid… I shrugged and went back to read over the contract. I blinked a lot. I might have gaped. I might have needed help locating my jaw.

Eric was offering me a contract that protected me from exploitation by other vampires. I was free to use my telepathy as I saw fit, but other vampires (and the suspiciously phrased "supernaturals of any other description") would be required to ask permission from Eric for use of my skills. If my services were requested outside of Area 5, I would be guaranteed a vampire escort with additional daytime security when necessary; all travel expenses would be paid.

Effectively, Eric was my mental pimp. I giggled when I pictured him in purple velvet with leopard print accents. Maybe even a feathered boa.

The contract gave me a base salary of eighty thousand dollars a year. I was required to be at the club at least three nights a week for no less than two hours per night. Special situations (like the one tonight) would pay me $200 per hour, with a one-hour minimum pay. This shit was _bananas_.

When I was done reading it, I looked up at Eric with a frown.

"What's wrong, Sookie?"

"If I'd known it was this sweet a deal? I'd have given my notice at the library two weeks ago, and be done with the place by now."

He grinned wickedly at me. "I _did_ offer to pay you for your previous services."

"Hmph. We already discussed that, Mr Northman. Besides, it gave you an excuse to buy stuff for me." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Tease," he growled, eyeing my mouth. "And what makes you think I need an excuse?"

I chose to ignore his name-calling, for the time being. "In any case, now that I can afford to buy you stuff, it's reciprocal."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow and grinned. "What would you like to buy me, lover?"

He had me there. What do you buy for a thousand year old vampire who can already afford to buy whatever he wants?

"Irrelevant," I said, shaking my head. "Point being, I can return the favor now."

"You don't need money for the favors I would prefer from you." Damn if it didn't sound like he was purring.

I snickered and rolled my eyes at him. I gave the contract another once-over to make sure I hadn't missed anything important and reached for a pen.

Once both Eric and I had signed the contract, he handed a copy of it over to me; I folded it and stuffed it in my purse. I couldn't wait to show it to Gran, even if she had already seen it. It did occur to me, though: if this all fell through somehow, there was no possible way I could list this job on a normal résumé.

The questioning went pretty smoothly, some minor hysterics aside. Bruce hadn't done taken the money; he wouldn't have brought it to Eric's attention, had that been the case. I still checked him out, just to be sure. We quickly found out that Ginger had been glamoured almost beyond recognition, which was suspicious. Another waitress, Belinda, gave us more information about Ginger: Ms Sieve-for-brains hadn't been too discerning when it came to vampire partners, but she _had_ been spending an awful lot of time with Long Shadow.

Eric wanted to jump on that information right away, but I suggested that we check everyone else out first. It didn't take us long to put the pieces together: Long Shadow had been glamouring Ginger into helping him steal from the club.

After the last human had been questioned, Eric fumed in his chair while I sat a good distance from him, on the couch. Between his mood and my enhanced scent, I thought it best to give him some space. Without warning, he stood up.

"Do not leave this room until I return. Pam and I will deal with Long Shadow."

"Are you going to kill him?"

Aside from a startled blink, his face was locked down. "Do you care?"

"I don't know. Are you?" I pressed.

His mouth turned up in an incredibly terrifying smile. "I think I'll let Pam have a little fun before we turn him over to his maker."

A little fun…? Oh. _Oh_. Ick.

* * *

I tried my best to ignore the thumping noises I was hearing from the direction of Pam's office. The sounds got a little bit louder as they got closer, and then more faint until it was quiet once again. I realized that I shouldn't normally be able to hear that. Looked like the blood Eric had given me was giving me better hearing, as well.

I dropped my shields enough to keep track of the humans that were still in the bar; they were all nervous for a few minutes, and then that stopped, too. Odd. The cacophony of their brains was silenced, replaced _en masse_ by… disco music? What the hell? Was that what a brain sounded like when it was being glamoured?

Not too long after that, Eric and Pam stepped into the room. Pam's eyes lit up like it was Christmas, and her fangs came out so quickly that she cut her own lower lip. Eric grabbed her by the arm and flicked her forehead with his fingers until he had her attention. It took longer than I thought it should.

When the haze seemed to clear from her eyes, she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as she held her breath. If she started coughing, like I'd seen Jason do after trying pot, it would be incredibly difficult for me to keep a straight face.

"Master, you've been in here all night?" she asked incredulously. "With Sookie smelling like _that_?"

Eric nodded grimly and let go of her arm.

Pam looked at me, then back at Eric. "Shit. No wonder you're grouchy. Can we get her to sit on all the chairs and booths before she leaves tonight? She might not be bad for business, after all."

I was tired of her talking about me like I was a particularly nice-smelling candle, so I butted in.

"How you figure, Pammykins?" She hated it when I called her that. I'd told her to blame Eric, since I heard it from him first.

"Well, _Suckie_, no one comes to Fangtasia to see a lovesick vampire looking all emo-tastic." She snickered. "We do better business when he's cranky. You should hold out on him more."

"That will be enough, Pamela." Eric was standing next to her, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

I checked the clock. "It's a bit late to open tonight. You going to do it anyway, or are we done here?"

Eric sat down rather heavily in his chair. "I've already sent the staff home for the night. Pam has business to attend to. You and I are free to do as we wish."

It didn't take a genius to figure out what Eric wished. The timbre of his voice was nearly enough to make my thighs itch.

Pam's eyes sparkled as she remembered her business, and she scurried off to do unspeakable things to Long Shadow.

As the door closed behind her, Eric's gaze, which hadn't left me, turned predatory. He licked his lips. I sat up a bit straighter on the couch.

"You okay, Eric?" I asked, trying to sound innocent. I failed.

"I am a bit peckish, now that you mention it."

"Good thing there's plenty of True Blood here." I loved making him pout. It was so damn cute.

In a split second, Eric was kneeling on the floor in front of me, his body pressed against mine. I'd been expecting him to do that since we left the house this evening; his self-control was impressive.

* * *

**Eric POV**

I was the luckiest fucking vampire ever: my telepathic, part-fae lover wasn't at all squeamish. She'd insisted on starting out in the shower in my office, and we only moved to the couch when her legs got tired. I spent hours with my head between her thighs, not letting a single delicious drop go to waste. We barely made it back to the house before sunrise.

When I woke up the next evening, I could tell that she hadn't even left the bed. She had barely stirred in her sleep, she was so worn out from the night before. I watched her as she slept, listened to her heart beating softly, listened to the gentle whisper of her breathing.

She woke up and stretched her whole body. I pulled her close and she snuggled up to me.

"I hope you don't have any plans for this evening, lover."

She laughed. "What if I did?"

"Then I might have to tie you to my bed, so that you can't leave."

"Ooh. Is that a promise?"

_Fuck_.

My phone when it beeped to let me know a text message. I tried to ignore it, but it kept beeping.

After a few minutes of non-stop messages, I growled and gave up. "Let me check that, it might be important."

Text message from Pam: _Should we be expecting to see you at all this evening?_

Then: _Or the next few days?_

Then: _I'll take your silence as a resounding no. Asshole._

Then: _Adele and I are bored. We're going out._

Just to shut her up, I responded: _In that order: No. Probably not. Bitch. Be careful._

Sookie looked at me as I tossed my phone back onto the nightstand. "Anything important?"

I shrugged. "Pam's a brat. She and Adele are going out; she didn't say where."

She looked puzzled. "Where would those two be going at this hour? You don't suppose they're going back to Bon Temps, do you?"

"Pam has grown rather attached to your grandmother. She won't let anything happen to her." I slid closer to Sookie and nuzzled her neck. "Now then… where were we?"

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	18. Assholes and eyelashes

A/N: I was SO out of it when I woke up yesterday morning (afternoon? I forget), it completely slipped my mind… This story got reviewed on the Sookieverse blog, as one of their Under The Radar Fic Recs! How freaking sweet is that? I'm pretty damn tickled. Go check it out: goo (dot) gl (slash) fb/63WES

* * *

**Pam POV**

It was Sunday, and we didn't have a bartender at Fangtasia. Eric was indisposed, to put it politely. I sure as shit wasn't going to handle the entire club by myself tonight. Fuck that noise.

He'd never hear me admit it, but I couldn't blame Eric for squirreling Sookie away for a few days. If she were mine, I'd chain her to the bed when she smelled like that. With Eric and Sookie being all rude and anti-social, Adele had to be as bored as me. I decided to call to see what she was up to.

I was right: she picked up after the first ring. "Pam, dear! So good to hear from you."

"Adele, our mutual friends are going to be rudely ignoring us for a while. What you want to do about that?"

She hummed while she thought about it. "I still owe you shooting lessons. The range'll be closed by this time of night, but nothing says we can't go tromping through the woods."

"Excellent. I'll bring my boots. While I'm on my way, you need anything?"

"Just the pleasure of your company. We might want to stop by my house for more ammo, though."

I grinned. She really was the coolest old lady ever. Damn shame she wasn't younger.

Adele was ready to go when I showed up at Eric's house about half an hour later. She was even dressed for the occasion, wearing boots, jeans, and an old sweatshirt. Gun in the backseat, scary bitches up front, and we were making tracks back to Bon Temps.

When we got back to her house, I parked my minivan behind the house, next to Sookie's disgusting old car. The minute I stepped out of the car, I knew something wasn't right. I could smell that someone had been here recently, and I didn't recognize the scent.

"Adele, do you have someone stopping by to check your mail?"

"Just Jason, why?"

I hadn't met him yet, but I thought I'd already pegged his scent on the night I'd picked her up. There had been two other scents here that night: Adele, Sookie, and another human male.

"Someone's been here. Recently."

Adele frowned. "How recently?"

"Not this evening. Perhaps yesterday. I can tell there's no one here now."

"Then it's safe?"

"It is, but let's get you inside." Even if Eric wouldn't kill me if something happened to her, I didn't want Adele getting hurt. It was hard enough for me to find someone I could tolerate, let alone _like_.

Whoever it was that had been here, they hadn't been inside the house. After checking that all of the doors and windows were locked, Adele said she was going to go dig out her extra ammo. I told her that I was going to check the property outside and made sure she locked the door behind me.

I stepped off the porch, waited until heard the lock click behind me, then silently made my way around the house. It didn't take me long to piece together what had happened.

A man had driven to a secluded spot of the long driveway and parked out of view of the house. He had passed through the foliage, walked partially around the house, and then presumably gone back to his car and left. I went back to the spot where he'd parked; based on the scent and the oil spots on the gravel, he'd been here more than once. Motherfucker.

I sprinted back to the house to find that Adele was still safely locked inside. When I knocked and let her know it was just me, she opened the door with shotgun in hand. Good girl.

"Find anything interesting out there, Pam?"

"Indeed. I think the killer's been here several times."

Adele nodded. "Can't say as I'm surprised. Think he'll come back tonight?"

I grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Well, we _were_ planning on doing some shooting, weren't we?"

Adele breathed a sigh. "It'll be good to get this cleared up, once and for all. Eric's place is nice, but my bones miss my own bed."

She straightened up and looked at me with steel in her eyes. "So, how are we going to do this?"

The plan was simple. Adele sat on the couch in the living room and watched television. She'd gotten a handgun out from her bedroom and stuck it in the front pocket of her sweatshirt. I sat in the stairwell and stayed out of sight from the doors and windows. She'd given me the shotgun. After a quick explanation of how to use it, I figured I could manage.

And then, we waited.

The television was loud enough for Adele to be able to pretend to listen, but not so loud as to prevent me from hearing it when someone started approaching the house.

I'd whispered a heads-up to Adele, so she wasn't startled when someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"Hey, Mrs Stackhouse, it's Rene Lenier," came the voice from the other side of the door. "I'm a friend of Jason's."

Adele whipped around and frowned at me. I raised my eyebrow and nodded for her to let him in.

"Goodness, Rene. A bit late for a visit, isn't it? Jason's not here, I'm afraid." Not even a quiver in her voice as she opened the door.

"Ahh, that's no good." Fucking hell. Even his Cajun accent sounded fake. "My car broke down just down the road, I was hoping he could come look at it for me."

"Oh, dear. I expect you'll want to use the phone to call someone. Let me get that for you." Adele turned her back on him, throwing a subtle wink in my direction.

Rene's back was to me. I silently stalked towards him, shotgun at the ready. Adele walked into the kitchen. Rene pulled something out of his back pocket and ducked around the corner after her. Fuck.

I sped to the kitchen and saw Rene attempting to strangle Adele. I couldn't get a clear shot. Something flashed in Adele's hand, and a shot rang out.

"You fucking bitch! You shot me!" Rene was on the floor, staring at his knee. Nice shot.

"And I'll fucking drain you if you move another fucking inch," I said.

He whipped around and screamed from the pain. I stepped forward, pushed him onto his back, and dropped my knee into his sternum. Fucking asshat. My hand was around his neck, and I wanted him to struggle. I wanted to watch the life leave his eyes.

I looked up at Adele; she was holding her neck. "You okay?" I asked.

She winced, but nodded as she picked up the phone and started dialing. "Don't kill him, Pam. He's no good to us if he can't confess."

I hated that she was right. I grabbed a nearby tea towel and stuffed it in his mouth. His screaming was starting to get on my nerves.

"Bud?… Yes, this is Adele Stackhouse… No, I certainly will _not_ hold… I need someone at my house, now. Rene Lenier just tried to kill me… I am most certainly not kidding." Was this shit for real? She cackled into the phone. "Oh, I shot out his knee, he's not going anywhere."

Once she was assured that someone was on the way, Adele quickly dug out some rope that I used to tie Rene up. I kept my knee on his chest; once his hands were tied, I got my phone out of my pocket and dialed Eric.

Bastard. I had to call him three times before he bothered to pick up.

"This had better be fucking important," he growled.

"Oh, you have no idea." I bet he could hear me grinning. "I'll give you the long version later, but here's a teaser: Sookie and Adele can move back anytime they want."

"Tell me what the fuck is going on, Pamela. Right. Fucking. Now."

Cranky bastard. "We caught the murderer. He's alive. Cops are on their way to collect him and his confession."

"We'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Better hurry. Cops'll be here in fifteen." I hung up.

I wasn't interested in letting Rene up, and Adele was taking care of herself just fine. She'd gotten some ice out of the freezer and wrapped it in a towel, for her throat. I passed the time by pulling out Rene's eyelashes, one by one. I'd bet this fucktard would never be more grateful to get arrested. It meant getting away from _me_.

* * *

**Eric POV**

On the drive to Bon Temps, I did my best to reassure Sookie that Adele was fine, that Pam had not let any harm come to her. Sookie shot out of the car before I'd come to a complete stop in front of her house, and was through the front door before I was out of the car. Vampire blood: it does a body good.

I walked into the house to find Adele and Sookie in the living room, crying and hugging each other. Once I had made certain they were both all right, I went into the kitchen.

Pam was sitting at the kitchen table with two cops. In a nearby chair sat a scruffy man in handcuffs, with a rag in his mouth. There were eyelashes stuck all over his face. I fucking love Pam.

The cops had been taking notes, and looked irritated at me for interrupting. I stared blankly at them and stood in the doorway my arms folded across my chest.

"Who're you?" an older man asked me.

"I'm a friend of the family," I answered. "I was with Sookie when we heard. We came as quickly as we could. What happened here?"

The younger of the two cops spoke up. "From the sound of it, Rene here came to the house, pretending that his car'd broken down. He asked to use the phone, and went to strangle Adele once her back was turned. Adele shot him in the knee, and this lady... Pam, did you say your name was?" Pam nodded. "Pam incapacitated him until we got here."

The older cop nodded. "We were just about to ask Rene his side of the story, since we're still waiting for the ambulance to get here."

He reached over and pulled the rag from Rene's mouth. Rene inhaled once, and then started confessing so quickly it was barely intelligible.

The cops gaped at him while he rambled. They could barely keep up with him as he confessed to killing almost a half-dozen women, all because they had slept with vampires. Fucking asshole had even killed his own sister.

While I was disappointed that I would not be getting any quality time with him, all I really needed to know was that he wouldn't be getting out anytime soon. I needed to know he wouldn't be showing up on Sookie's doorstep. Even if he did get out of jail in his lifetime, I'd still be around and waiting for him.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	19. The great SUV debacle

A/N: Screw plot, this chapter is pure goofiness. My initial plans for this series involved following the books' stories as much as I could, eventually diverging when the major plotlines centered around consequences of poor choices made by less-intelligent characters. I'm still debating as to how far along I should follow the basic outline, and find that fluff like this is just SO much easier to write. More fun, at the very least.

Thoughts? Any particular plot lines from the books that you'd be curious to see handled by a smarter Sookie?

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Even though Rene was safely behind bars, Eric hadn't wanted me to go back to Bon Temps. Honestly, I didn't want to go either, but Gran was itching to get back home. After everything that happened, I wasn't ready or willing to leave her out there all by lonesome. Her shooting Rene was proof enough that she could take care of herself, but I wanted to spend time with her. I knew that I would get swept away, living with Eric. It was too easy to forget anything else existed when he and I were together.

It didn't take long for Gran and I to get back home and into something resembling our old routine. The primary difference was that I was regularly going to Fangtasia, but it didn't have too much impact on the time Gran and I spent together. If anything, it gave us more to talk about. She and Pam chatted on the phone frequently, but Gran was always interested in hearing more about Pam's latest in-club antics. She'd cackled like a damn loon when I told her about the now-infamous chicken incident.

My boss at the library was neither upset nor surprised when I offered him my two week notice. When he heard that I had another job already lined up, he said one week would be enough notice. I went back to full-time hours for that last week, focusing mainly on getting his niece up to speed on the job.

Those last few days went by quickly, and it wasn't long before I started working three nights a week at Fangtasia. I was there every other night, which worked out to four nights every other week. That was fine by me, and Eric wasn't complaining too much; he was still sore that I'd moved back to Bon Temps at all, but he didn't push the issue.

I was sore at him for tricking me: when Gran and I were staying with him, he'd had Pam drive my old car back to my house. I had no other option but to drive his SUV. Ever since then, I'd been trying to get him to take it back. It was a nice car, but it wasn't mine; driving someone else's car was always slightly nerve-wracking for me. I was terrified of denting it or finding the paint scratched. Besides, I liked my old car. I'd worked hard to pay for it, and I thought it had an odd charm.

One night Eric told me to bring the SUV to Fangtasia, saying that he would take me home and then drive it back to Shreveport. Once we were at my house, he "forgot" about the plan and flew off. I hadn't even known he could fly until then. He laughed when I sent him a text calling him a cheaterpants, and that ultimately led to a rather raunchy late-night phone call about said pants.

On another night, he told me he would have Pam drive me back, and then she would take the SUV back to his house. Whoopsie! He claimed to have forgotten that it was her night off. I just knew that he would fly off on me again, so I told him to not bother pretending to drive me back to Bon Temps. I wound up spending the night as his place so that he could make it up to me; he was only too happy to oblige. Oh, I knew he'd see it as a reward instead of a punishment, but what can I say? I'm such an enabler.

At some point, trying to get him to take back the damn car became some bizarre form of foreplay between the two of us. I wasn't used to being outsmarted, and he enjoyed having someone to be silly with. It was oddly sexy how devious he could be about something that was so goofy. It wasn't really about the car anymore; we were just trying to see who would win. Or perhaps more accurately, who would give up first.

Finally, I came up with a plan that I was certain I could pull off. After a particularly busy night at Fangtasia, I spent the night at Eric's. On my way out the door the next afternoon, I snagged the extra set of keys for the SUV.

That night was one of my nights off; I waited all evening for Eric to call or text me about the missing keys, but he either didn't notice or didn't care. Excellent. I called Jason and told him that if he came over to do me a favor, I'd have Gran make fried chicken for lunch.

Jason came over the next day and the three of us had a grand old time catching up over Gran's cooking. When we were done, Jason and I drove to the club. I took the SUV, and Jason followed me in his truck. I parked in Eric's reserved spot, just to tweak him off. Jason and I drove back to Bon Temps in his truck, snickering the whole way.

I was getting ready to go out when I got a text message from Eric: _There appears to be a car in my spot, but my lover is nowhere to be found._

Ha! Let the games begin! I responded: _Still at home. I'll be on my way soon._

Two minutes later: _Where are the keys?_

I sent: _I've got them, you can have them when I get there._

I was surprised when he didn't get back to me right away. Maybe he was just busy with things at the bar.

Silly me, I should have known he wouldn't drop it. When I was just about to start the car, I got another text: _Did you take the spare set of keys as well?_

Short and simple was how I planned on playing this: _Yes. I win. On my way, see you soon._

When he didn't respond after a few minutes, I gave up waiting and made my way to Shreveport.

* * *

**Eric POV**

I had been ready to roll heads when I saw another car already parked in my spot at Fangtasia. Months ago, Pam had put up a sign warning people: "Reserved for owner. Violators will be drained." It had been sufficient, but apparently someone felt like dying tonight.

Then I noticed it was the SUV I'd unofficially given to Sookie. She'd been trying to give it back, but I kept finding ways around it. It'd be so much easier for her if she'd just let me buy her a fucking car. I can't have my lover driving around in that old tin can of hers, even if she says she likes it. What's to like about it? I walked into my office, and she wasn't there. She wasn't in the bar, either. What the hell? I found Pam at the front door.

"Where's Sookie?" I asked.

"I haven't seen her yet. Didn't think she was here." Pam replied.

This was most strange. I sent Sookie a text message, only to find out that she was still at home. How had she arranged this?

After finding out that she still had the keys, I flew back to my house to grab the spare set. If I hurried, I could probably drive the SUV back to Bon Temps before she had a chance to leave. Failing that, I could always get Pam to do it for me.

When I got home, the extra keys weren't in their normal spot. The little minx was trying to beat me at my own game. No matter: I had a back-up plan, one that would settle this silly game once and for all. A few more texts told me she was on her way. That gave me just enough time to set things in motion.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I couldn't help but notice Pam smirking in my general direction when I pulled into the Fangtasia parking lot. It was a strange sort of _déjà vu_, thinking about my first night there. She and I had developed an odd relationship: I was dear to her maker, and the granddaughter of her newest BFF. There were no doubts as to where her loyalties lay, but with any luck she would at least stay out of this whole car nonsense.

"Evening, Sookie," she drawled. "I see you've finally managed to figure out that pesky car situation."

My grin had to have been at least a little triumphant. "Looks like it. He's not too cranky, is he?"

Pam laughed. "Oddly enough, no. But he is expecting you; that always perks him up."

I walked into Fangtasia and saw that Eric wasn't sitting on his throne as per usual. Rather, he'd chosen to sit in his reserved booth. He stood up to greet me, and let me slide into the booth first. I loved sitting between Eric and the wall; it brought back pleasant memories.

After a thoroughly satisfying hello kiss, he leaned back and placed his arm over my shoulders.

He let out a heavy sigh. "I understand you have some keys for me, Sookie?"

What, no _lover_? Aw, crap. I hoped he wasn't too upset about losing our little game.

"I figured you wouldn't be too happy about taking them back. Would it help if I told you that they were hidden somewhere under my clothes?"

He smiled. I knew that would get him. "Tsk. Such a mixed message, lover. You want to give them to me, yet you hide them."

"Silly Viking. I thought letting you find them would be a peace offering." I let out a melodramatic sigh. "If you don't want to look for them…"

With a rather petulant sounding growl, Eric picked me up and set me down sideways on his lap. My back was facing the rest of the club; he could search to his dead heart's content.

From behind me, I heard Pam say, "Sookie, you left your headlights on. Give me your keys, I'll take care of it for you."

"Ack! Thanks for noticing, Pam." I handed her my keys and smirked at Eric. "It'd be such a shame if my car battery died, wouldn't it?"

His huff of resignation – or was that defeat? – was so sweet to my ears. I looked up at him and caressed the side of his face. He smirked and started running his hands over my chest; it didn't take him long to find the key that I'd hidden in my bra. Before retrieving it, he gave my nipple a wicked pinch, and I gasped.

"Careful," I whispered in his ear. "You don't want the other key to rust."

Eric growled and palmed the back of my neck, tilting my head at the right angle for a heated kiss. While I was getting lost in the taste of him, I felt his other hand slide up my thigh, dragging up the hem of my dress. I was getting wetter by the second; I slipped a hand between us and lightly stroked the growing bulge in his pants.

With a slight groan, Eric's hand found my damp panties – and the key I'd hidden in them. I chuckled softly and leaned in to nibble his neck. When I felt a finger slide into me, I moaned and scratched my nails against the denim over his cock.

After a few strokes that left me panting for more, he pulled out of me and drew back his hand – and the previously hidden key. Eric stuffed both keys into his pocket and made a show of licking his fingers.

"…Well?" I gasped.

Eric's face was the picture of innocence. That rat bastard. I glared at him.

"Mission accomplished, lover. That was most entertaining." He smirked.

By that point, I was ready to stuff the damn keys up my coochie, just so he'd have to go in after them.

As if the mood wasn't already thoroughly killed, we were further disturbed by Pam taking a seat in the other side of the booth. My initial reaction was to scowl at her for interrupting us, but the minute I saw the state she was in, I gaped.

Pam's hair was mussed (something I'd never seen before) and her face was smudged all over with soot.

"Pam! What the fuck? Are you okay?"

Eric's laughter should have been my clue. It barely registered in my brain.

Pam raised an eyebrow at me. "What? Oh, do I have something on my face?" She patted her hair and dug out a compact to check her make-up.

"Uh, covered in soot? Hello?" I gestured at her head. "Hair all messed up?"

"Not to worry, my friend. I'm quite well. Unfortunately, I believe I may have accidentally blown up your car."

"Uh… pardon?" Oh yeah. Real fucking eloquent there, Sookie.

"Pamela, you naughty child," Eric interjected. I whipped my head around and stared at him. His face was locked down, but I could hear mischief in his voice.

"But… but… all my stuff…!"

Pam lifted a duffel bag up from the seat and plunked it down on the table. "Miraculously survived the explosion. Funny, that."

"Not to worry, Sookie," Pam said. "I broke it, I'll replace it. What kind of car would you like?"

"No, Pamela," Eric said, shaking his head. "As your maker, I must take at least partial responsibility for your mistakes. Sookie, I insist that you allow me to replace the vehicle that my wayward child has accidentally exploded."

I gaped, glared, and fumed at the pair of them. In fact, I scooted off of Eric's lap for easier angry-face distribution. I didn't know if I was more upset about the loss of my car or the fact that they'd ganged up on me.

"You sneaky, conniving _fuckwaffles_!" I hissed.

"Sookie, I can hardly be blamed if your car was hideously unsafe. I'm just glad that you weren't in it at the time." She failed to look sympathetic.

I threw my hands up in the air. They totally got me. I thought I'd won, but they completely handed me my ass. All right, Sookie. Deep breaths. Time to put on the big girl panties and accept defeat gracefully.

"Okay. You two win. Pam, I accept your offer of a replacement car."

Pam snorted and rolled her eyes. "You might as well let Eric buy it. I'd just be putting it on his card anyway."

I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. This was _so_ not going how I planned it. When I looked up at Eric, he was grinning triumphantly at me.

"What kind of car would you like, lover?" he asked.

"I'm guessing you already had something in mind?"

He nodded.

"Lay it on me. But I get veto power."

"We could have matching Corvettes."

"Cute, but no. Try again."

Eric leered. "You'd look absolutely fuckhot behind the wheel of a BMW convertible."

"Not a chance. Go fish."

"Fish?" Eric must not be familiar with that game.

"Never mind, I'll explain some other time. Try again."

"Escalade?"

"With that kind of gas mileage? I don't think so."

He looked stumped. "Tell me what you want in a car, and we can narrow it down from there."

Thus began our negotiations. I wanted something safe, reliable, and comfortable. Eric wanted me in something secure, fast, and sexy. Pam was watching us like a tennis match, and finally interrupted our minor bickering.

"I think I know something that fits both of your requirements," she interjected.

"I'm not getting her a minivan, Pamela. Those things are not sexy."

Pam snorted. "They're a different kind of sexy, but that wasn't what I had in mind."

"Do tell, Pam." I just wanted this all to be over and done with.

She grinned. "Can it be a surprise?"

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, i just like to play with them a bit.


	20. That new car smell

A/N: More fluff, at least until I figure a few things out. Thanks for the reviews and feedback!

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric and I both agreed to let Pam surprise me with my new car. She told us it would take a few days to arrange everything, but she'd have it delivered as soon as possible.

I was in no shape to drive, so I stayed with Eric that night. Eric drove us back to his house, and had Pam drive the SUV there as well. I'd need it a few more days, apparently.

The next day, I drove back to Bon Temps. Gran was curious about why I'd driven the SUV back instead of my old car. She was shocked and amused that they'd "accidentally exploded" my car, but chided me for having let it get that far. I admitted that I'd known it was silly to refuse a gift all that time, but it really had turned into more of a game for me. It was fun to try to outwit Eric, even if I did ultimately fail.

We had just sat down for lunch when she dropped a bombshell on me.

"So when are you going to move in with that boyfriend of yours?" Gran asked.

I nearly choked on my tea. "Um, what?"

"You need to be out enjoying your own life, not sitting around watching me putter through the tail end of mine."

"Gran, don't talk like that." I frowned.

She laughed. "Oh, I've got plenty more years left, you silly girl. I'm too stubborn to die anytime soon."

I thought about that for a few minutes. "You wouldn't be upset if I moved in with Eric?"

Gran shook her head and patted my shoulder. "I want you to be happy. Eric makes you happy. Things like this can be as simple and joyful as you want them to be. If it doesn't work out, you've always got a place here. But I don't see that happening."

I grinned. He and I did get along well, to say the least. We'd already had something of a trial period when Gran and I were staying with him.

"Besides," Gran said, "You're only going as far as Shreveport. You can come visit whenever you like."

"What about your errands and such?" I'd always been the one to help her get around, be it to the store, library, or church.

"I talked with Jason about that; he's going to help me out until he can find me a car of my own. I've got some money saved up for it."

It sounded like everyone around me had been thinking about this more than me. It was an odd feeling. It wasn't that I hadn't thought about it at all, it just felt like a _someday_ idea. Something you do at some undefined point in the future.

Well, to hell with that. I wanted my someday _now_. After some thought, I decided to hold off on bringing it up with Eric. The moment had to be right; I'd know it when it came.

* * *

It was almost a week before the big car surprise was finally ready. I'd stayed with Eric the night before, so we were both at his place when Pam called to let us know she was bringing over my new car. At this point, I was no longer upset with either of them about the whole fiasco. I was just excited to see what my surprise would be. Eric could barely keep me from jumping out of bed after Pam called, and it wasn't for any lack of trying on his part. He did catch me in the shower, and by the time we were done in there I had to scramble to throw on underwear and a dress.

Pam drove up about an hour after she'd called. At first glance, it looked unassuming enough: a simple, four-door black sedan with slightly tinted windows. The windows didn't have a single scratch on them, and the paint looked fresh. The tires were also new, but the rims weren't. You had to really look to tell it was a used car. It was kind of on the large side, but that wasn't a problem for me.

Eric grinned like he knew something I didn't.

I nearly tackled Pam when she got out of my new car. "Okay, Pam. Tell me about my new car."

"Sookie, your requirements were safe, comfortable and reliable. This is a Crown Vic Police Interceptor. Safe: it has a steel body-on-frame construction that was designed to not only take a hit, but to be able to ram other cars and still be able to chase them down. On top of that, this particular car has bulletproof windows. Comfortable: it has been fitted with the street appearance package, so the interior feels like a couch. Reliable: it's a fucking cop car. Doesn't get much more reliable than that."

Ram cars? Chase them down? Bulletproof windows? I was floored. "Pam, I'm an ex-librarian telepath, not an FBI agent."

She looked blankly at me. "You said you wanted safe. I got you safe. It came with a prisoner screen, but I figured you two might want easier access to the back seat. The back doors can't be opened from the inside. I had the screen removed, but we can install one if you'd like."

I was speechless. Prisoner screen? Was she fucking _serious_?

Pam turned to Eric. "Your requirements were secure, fast, and sexy. Secure: this is a dark car, meaning that the interior lights do not automatically light up when you open the doors. It's great for stealth. Since it's an old cop car, no one will want to fuck with it, and people on the road will be intimidated by it. Fast: it has a souped-up v8 engine with 250 horsepower. This particular car has been altered to bypass the electronic limitation of 120mph. However, given the axle ratio, I wouldn't recommend taking it above 150mph. Sexy: Eric, if that engine were in your Corvette, it wouldn't be street-legal. The backseat is large enough for even _you_ to get down and dirty, but check this out…"

She walked to the rear of the car and popped the trunk. Eric and I both stared in awe. "See that? _That_ is an eight-body trunk, provided you cut 'em up right. It doesn't get any sexier than that."

Holy fuck. I didn't expect to be stuffing any bodies in my trunk, let alone cutting them up, but I could easily curl up and sleep comfortably in that thing. That made me wonder.

"Is the trunk light-proof, in case of emergency?" I asked.

Pam took a close look and shook her head. "No. See those holes in the floor lining? But that's not a bad idea. Even Eric could fit in there." She took a closer look at the inside of the trunk. "It's already fitted with an internal lock release, so that's good."

Eric, who had been grinning maniacally for the past few minutes, finally spoke up. "Pam, you are fucking brilliant. I think I'm jealous that I didn't think of this first. I might need you to get one for me."

Pam tilted her head to the side. "It'd take a while to find another one. I assume you'd want the leather interior, for easier clean-up?"

He nodded. "Yes. And a light-proof trunk."

"All right; give me some time, I'll see what I can find. In the meantime, you can check out this one and figure out what you'd like done differently with yours. And I'll definitely be putting that one on your card."

"Christ on a hot buttered biscuit," I muttered. "How much does one of these things go for?"

She shrugged. "You can't buy them fresh from a dealership. They're not available to the general public, except on the used market. This one only has about fifty thousand miles on it. I've got a few connections. Before some minor repairs and alterations, it only cost me about five grand."

This was a car I could have easily afforded on my own, especially with my new salary. It was stupid, but that made me feel better about the whole thing. It was a damn sexy car. It looked like something the Secret Service would drive.

Pam dangled the keys in front of me, and Eric laughed as I eagerly grabbed them. I hopped into the driver's seat and immediately noticed how comfortable it was. Pam leaned in a bit and showed me the button to push to turn on the interior lights. I found a strange round button in the middle of the dash and pushed it; that apparently opened the trunk. Good to know. It was an automatic, which I liked. My last car had been a stick shift, and while it got great mileage, it was hell in the stop-and-go traffic of downtown Shreveport.

The passenger side door opened and the car gently sank a few inches as Eric sat down next to me. He was still grinning like a crazy vampire.

"Where shall we go, lover?"

I thought my face would crack from grinning. "Does it matter?"

* * *

Eric and I drove for hours. It amused me that the cars in front of me always drove on their best behavior: they thought we were cops, and they didn't want to get pulled over. As funny as it was, I could see it being annoying if there wasn't an extra lane to pass them.

The thing I found really disconcerting was when we were on the highway. Everyone around me seemed to be going really slow; when I checked the speedometer, I was shocked to find out that we were going almost 80mph. It felt like we were barely going over the speed limit, the ride was that smooth. Eric would have a field day with that.

Around midnight, I started to get hungry. We pulled off the highway and found a drive-thru. Eric and I swapped places, so he could drive while I ate.

As predicted, Eric drove like he was trying to break the sound barrier. The alignment was so tight, I had to look at the dash to be able to tell that he was going 145mph. Pam had warned him against going over 150mph, after all.

"I take it you're not still mad at us for killing your old car?" Eric asked, grinning.

I had a mouthful of fries, so I finished chewing and swallowed before I answered. "I _guess_ I could find it in my heart to forgive you. This is a totally sweet ride."

"Pam did well," he admitted. "I never realized just how much she knew about cars."

"Personally, I think it's better than a Corvette. More room."

Eric shifted in his seat and looked over at me. I winked.

"Did you have something in mind?" He asked; I could tell by his voice that he thought he already knew my answer.

"Yep. Sure did." I decided to tease him by stalling; I took the last bite of my burger, and started cleaning up after my meal.

Eric waited while I did all of that, and after a few seconds he finally gave in. "Would you like to tell me about it?"

I had two responses at the ready, both of which would get his full attention. I made hmn-ing noises and thoughtfully tapped my chin while I considered my options. When I realized they both ultimately had the same conclusion, I decided to go for the big whammy.

I did a quick mirror check to make sure Eric wouldn't inadvertently cause an accident; we were driving on an access road, and there were no other cars around us. Excellent.

"Well," I said nonchalantly, "With trunk space like that, I won't need to ask Jason to help me move."

As I figured he would, Eric pulled over to the side of the road _tout de suite_. He put the car in park and turned to look at me.

"Move?"

I unbuckled my seat belt and moved over to straddle his lap; with his long legs, there was plenty of room for me between him and the steering wheel. He placed his hands on my hips and eyed me expectantly, waiting for me to clarify. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned in as if to kiss him.

Looking in his eyes, I whispered against his lips, "That is, if you're still interested in having me live with you."

Instantly, I was crushed to him, his lips feverishly locked onto mine.

There were heated kisses, and there were kisses that curled your toes and made you see stars. This kiss was in another class entirely. Time stopped. There was nothing but us, nothing but the feel of his mouth, my tongue caressing his fangs, the sweet vibration of his moan.

Gradually I became aware of his hands on my hips, pressing them to his. I felt him hard beneath me, felt my dress being pulled up, heard the rip of my panties as they disappeared.

When I felt his fingers slide into me, I broke the kiss and buried my face in his neck, shuddering. As I ground against his hand, he rubbed his thumb on my nub, bringing me closer. With a gasp, I came suddenly, only vaguely aware that I was biting his shoulder to stifle my screams.

I reached down and grabbed his hand when he started to pull out of me. I brought it to my mouth and looked him in the eye as I sucked my own juices off of his fingers. Eric groaned and closed his eyes, letting his head fall back. When I nipped the tip of his index finger, his hips jerked up towards me. He reached down and quickly unbuttoned his jeans as I slid down the zipper. He lifted his hips again, allowing me to push his jeans down.

Slowly, I lowered myself onto him, savoring the feel of him inside me. Without lifting my hips, I started undulating them in a figure eight motion, occasionally raising one hip or the other.

"You…" Eric gasped. "You are a fucking _goddess_."

I leaned forward and caught his lower lip between my teeth, almost biting hard enough to draw blood. He growled and grabbed my hips, guiding me up and down as he lifted himself beneath me. Once again, I could feel myself getting closer; I tilted my head to the side. The sharp sting of his fangs piercing my neck was enough to send me over the edge. Eric groaned and came just after me.

I leaned against him, trying to catch my breath. He gently licked the marks on my neck, shuddering with the aftershocks of his orgasm.

Realizing that we'd just broken in my new car, I couldn't help but chuckle. I sat up and looked at him.

"So… is that a yes?" I grinned lazily at him.

Eric smirked. "When we get _home_, I'll show you _yes_."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	21. Moving day and night

A/N: Sorry for no chapter yesterday… it was a crazy day in the Myst household. Nothing bad, but I'll spare you the deets. In any case, here's another bit of fluffy lemon meringue. Up next: actual plot.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

It was rare that I felt like I was the last one to come to a conclusion. Even Jason was supportive of my moving in with Eric. He'd always been protective of me in school, beating up anyone who got too mean about me being "weird". He'd thought that it was all schoolyard bullshit, and that it generally stopped once we graduated. I didn't have the heart to tell him that people were still leery of me, that they still thought bad things about me; they just stopped saying them out loud. For the most part. In any case, he knew he couldn't always be around to protect me; besides, who could protect me better than a devoted vampire boyfriend?

I expected Jason to fuss about how Eric and i hadn't known each other all that long, but he just said, "Sook, who cares if it took a few weeks or a few months? If he makes you happy, then I'm happy. The minute that changes, you let me know. I may not be able to kick his ass, but that don't mean he got any right to treat you bad."

My brother and I might not have much in common, and we might not talk as often as either of us would like, but we loved the hell out of each other.

Gran told me she'd keep my room as it was, like she'd done with Jason's old room after he'd moved out. I decided to keep some clothes there, thinking that I'd probably wind up buying new clothes for my work at Fangtasia, anyway. Looking through my various possessions, it didn't feel right bringing most of them with me. It wasn't as if they were going to disappear if I didn't take them. Ultimately, I didn't have much to pack; I was still impressed when it all fit in the trunk of my new car. That thing really was something else.

Gran made sure to send me off with several casseroles. She declared that even if Eric's kitchen was stocked and ready to go, she didn't suspect I'd be interested in wasting any time cooking. It was difficult to not appear shocked; I knew she was feisty, but I rarely saw that particular side of Gran's humor.

It was early afternoon when I left Gran's house. She and I got a little teary-eyed, but we both managed to hold back the waterworks. I knew that my life would be very different; while I liked my old life, I recognized that it held very little for me. The relationships that mattered would follow me to Shreveport; I was leaving places and things, not people. I would still see Gran and Jason as often as I could. Gran had suggested that we figure out a night of the week that would be our weekly night to get together and have dinner.

As I pulled up in front of what I'd thought of as Eric's house, I realized that it was now _my_ house, too. I'd lived so long in the farmhouse with Gran; it felt surreal to call anywhere else _home_.

Eric had offered to help me with the move, but I insisted on doing it during the day. I'd needed to have my own closure, my own transition. I wanted there to be a clear line defining one chapter of my life from the next. When we'd gotten back from our drive the night before, Eric made sure to show me how to use the security systems in the house.

It took a few trips to get all of my boxes and bags from the car and into the house, but I managed it with about an hour to spare until sunset. Moving was dirty work, even if I wasn't moving all that much stuff. I didn't feel like unpacking my clothes while I was all gross and sweaty. After making sure I'd gotten all of Gran's casseroles in the fridge, I left the rest of my stuff in the front room and figured Eric could help me with it all later.

I went into the bedroom to see Eric exactly as I'd left him: sprawled on his back in the middle of his… no, _our_ bed. I smiled at the thought of it being ours.

Damn it, I wanted him to be awake already.

As I showered, I thought about what I wanted Eric to see when he first woke up. He'd already be pleased to wake up with me there, but I felt the occasion should be marked by a little something extra. Whatever I decided, I'd need to do it quickly, lest the decision be made for me.

I toweled myself dry and hopped up onto the bed.

* * *

**Eric POV**

I woke up to the feel of soft kisses on my face, on my neck. Hands in my hair, warm breasts pressing against my chest, legs straddled high on my waist. I tried to reach up to hold her closer to me, only to find resistance; the naughty wench was pinning my arms to the bed with her knees. I could have easily freed myself, but I wanted to see what she had planned.

Sookie chuckled at my attempts to move; her breath was hot against my skin. Such wonderful torture. She leaned forward, putting more weight on her knees, pressing her hips harder against me.

"Nuh-uh, Viking," she breathed. "I've got you right where I want you."

Oh, really? "And what were you planning to do with me, now that you've got me?"

She was kissing me everywhere she could reach; everywhere except my mouth. My hips tried to move against hers, but she was perched too high on my body. Tease.

"Hmn. You mean right at this moment? Or for the next few hours?"

"Yes," I growled.

Again, she laughed. She was enjoying this. I was aching to fuck her. _Bring it_.

"I was thinking…" She paused to lazily lick my neck.

"Of seeing just how long…" She kissed my shoulder.

"Before you can't take this anymore…" She clenched a fist in my hair, tugging slightly. Ungh.

"And you roll me over…" A nibble on my earlobe.

"And fuck me senseless." She surprised me by yanking my hair, jerking my head to the side, and biting down on my neck. Hard.

I was instantly on top of her, crushing my mouth to hers. I could never get enough of this woman. She had no fucking idea. Her moans were so sweet. I could smell her getting wetter. I ground my hips against her.

She wanted to play; I would play. I grabbed her wrists and crossed them behind her back, pinning them underneath her. Slowly, I licked, nibbled, and kissed my way down her beautiful neck. She shuddered when I scraped my fangs against her collarbone, whimpered when I licked the valley between her breasts. Her legs tried to wrap around me to pull me closer as I pinched her nipples. I grabbed her thighs and pushed them back down on the bed. My turn. _Mine_.

Inch by delicious inch, I made my way down. Her breaths were coming in shorter gasps now. My thumb traced light circles over her femoral artery. Goosebumps.

I took a long, slow lick of her wetness. Her hands shot out from behind her back to grasp at my head.

"Do I need to tie you down, lover?" I growled.

"No…" Sookie moaned. Not good enough.

"No _what_?" Say it.

She bit her lip and looked at me, uncertain.

"Say 'No, Master.'"

She squirmed, and I stopped my attentions to stare her down. I waited. She whimpered and tried to wriggle against me. I held her still.

"No… Master." She blushed. I fucking loved it. _Yes_. Gods, I wanted to devour her.

Her hands immediately went back to where I'd put them. Good girl. I didn't think she could get any wetter. Ungh. _Fuck_. I rewarded her with another lick, harder this time. She whimpered and writhed under me.

My tongue traced circles around her clit as I slipped two fingers into her. She was so tight, so wet for me. _Yes_. I slid my other hand up her thigh and let it rest on the soft spot just above her mound. I lifted my head to look at her face, and started massaging the sweet spot inside of her. When I pushed down with my other hand, her hips shot a foot up off the bed.

Gently, I bit down on her clit and flicked it with my tongue. There was a sudden wetness; she was so fucking delicious, I hummed in delight. That sent her over the edge, filling my mouth with her essence. She was trying to kill me.

I eased her back down to the bed as she shook. Her legs went limp.

Slowly, I crawled up her body, rubbing myself along her as I went. She was still twitching as entered her. _Fuck_. So tight. So hot. All mine.

I pulled her arms out from under her; holding both of her slight wrists in one hand, I pinned them to the pillow, above her head.

I waited for her eyes to focus, waited for her to come back to me.

"Please…" she moaned.

Mmm. "Please… what?"

"Please, Master…" She would kill me if I wasn't already dead.

"Yes?" Beg. _Beg me to fuck you_.

She whimpered as I pulled out of her. "Please, Master… fuck me."

I slammed into her. In. Out. In. Out. Faster. Harder. This. Yes. Mine. Fucking _mine_.

Her breath was coming in mewling gasps, louder. Louder. She screamed and clamped down on me. I bit her on the shoulder and pulled at the wound as I came. She let loose a string of profanities that left me smiling, gloating against her skin.

Oh, yes. You want to play? I'll win. Every. Fucking. Time.

I eased myself out of her and lay on my side next to her. My hands ghosted over her skin, raising a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

When she could move again, she curled her body towards me. I lay on my back and pulled her closer, her head coming to rest on my shoulder.

"I could get used to waking up like this, lover."

Sookie chuckled softly. "Oh, you've got no choice now. You're stuck with me."

"Is that right?"

"Gran damn near kicked me out. I'm your problem, now."

"Mmm. Mine. I like the sound of that." She had no idea what that did to me.

Sookie snickered and propped herself up to look at me with a raised eyebrow. "Master, huh?"

"I didn't hear you complaining." I smirked at her. She blushed.

"You don't expect me to call you that all the time now, do you?" Her tone was light, but I could tell she bristled at the idea.

"Just when the mood strikes. And if I recall correctly, you started it."

"Hmph." She laid back down and snuggled closer. "Why do other people call you that? Like, Pam and the waitress at Fangtasia."

"Pam calls me Master when she's recognizing me as her maker, as her superior. The staff at Fangtasia do it mostly for show." I didn't say it out loud, but they enjoyed the idea of being subservient to me. It wasn't an uncommon fantasy amongst the fangbanger crowd.

She thought about that for a few minutes. "Which is it, for me?"

"Which do you want it to be?" I countered. If she says she wants me to be her maker, I will so fucking do it. Right now. Damn straight.

She was so quiet for so long, I almost thought she might have fallen asleep. Finally, she responded. "I don't know."

It wasn't the answer I wanted, but I wasn't going to push her. Better she stay with me as a human than hate me forever for as a vampire. I knew I would never tire of this woman, that I wanted her with me for as long as I could have her. I could be patient. For now.

"One thing I do know…" she started to say as she looked up at me. I returned her glance, waiting.

"Whatever you did there? _Damn_."

I growled and pulled her on top of me.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	22. Body language

A/N: You brilliant reviewers are knocking my socks clean off. If I could snorgle all of your bellies in humble appreciation, well, I probably wouldn't have time to get any writing done. So that's off the to-do list. And since I already have the next few chapters outlined, I imagine you'd prefer my writing to my snorgling.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric and I trouble finding reasons to leave the bedroom. I fully expected to be walking funny for at least a week, but I barely did enough walking to find out if that was the case. Trips to and from the bathroom didn't count, and Eric was perfectly content to carry me to the kitchen whenever my stomach growled at us. Thank goodness for Gran's casseroles; it wasn't that I didn't want to cook, it was more like I didn't have time.

After a few very lovely nights, we couldn't ignore the outside world anymore. Pam was getting grouchy from running Fangtasia on her own, and Eric was getting irritated with her constant texting.

We decided to make a few alterations to my schedule at Fangtasia; I would mostly be going with him on the busier nights: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Occasionally I'd pop in during the week to keep the clientèle on their toes. He still had to make appearances during the week, since at least half of the club-goers were there to catch a glimpse of the sexy Viking.

Sometimes I would go to the club with Eric on my nights off, but sometimes I stayed home. As much as I loved spending time with him, I liked having time alone to recharge and relax.

Besides, if I was always with him, I didn't have much reason to send him naughty text messages. I knew full well that any lingerie I was wearing in a photo I sent him was fair game when he got home. He was the one buying the stuff; I figured he could rip to his undead heart's content.

* * *

After reading the patrons of Fangtasia for a few nights, it got boring. Most of them were thinking about sex, vampires, or sex with vampires. I had nothing against sex with vampires in general, but hearing people fantasize about having sex with _my_ vampire (or remembering having had it) got real old, real fast. I didn't feel threatened by any of them; I could tell he didn't care one whit for any of the "vermin", as he sometimes called them.

I developed a new routine. If I was sitting in Eric's booth with Pam, I'd project invisibility on myself so that no one would be paying any attention to me; once I found something, I'd let her know and she'd take care of it. If I was sitting on Eric's lap while he sat on his throne, I'd whisper my alerts in his ear like they were sweet nothings. He'd get Pam's attention and she'd take care of the problem. If she wasn't there, Chow (Long Shadow's replacement) would deal with it.

With all of my listening and watching, it didn't take me long to notice the correlations between body language and thought patterns.

Underage kids with fake IDs were the easiest. Most of them just _looked_ young. They came in looking nervous; the longer they were there, the cockier they would get. If they were between 18 and 21, Pam would simply kick them out. It took some convincing, but I finally got Eric to agree that anyone under 18 should be held there until their parents (or the police) were able to come retrieve them.

Undercover cops looked around a little too much, and were a little too observant. Their body language was an odd combination of confidence and nervousness. When they scanned the crowds, they weren't looking: they were cataloging. There was a little too much going on behind the eyes for someone in a club. Eric loathed any form of spying, and preferred to have Pam glamour them into thinking that everything was just peachy. Most of the time, that's what happened. If it was a particularly slow night and I'd already weeded out other troublemakers, he'd let them stay to see for themselves that there were no illegal activities going on at Fangtasia.

V addicts and drainers were similar enough to fall into one category. Not all addicts were drainers, but all drainers were addicts. Both of these types of people tended to be overly nervous; jittery, even. They would bite their nails, chew their lips, sweat excessively, and frequently look like they hadn't bathed in days. They tended to hide in corners, like cockroaches.

If they were an addict, Pam would glamour them into thinking they'd had a bad trip, or something similar; the end result always left them never wanting to do V ever again. Again, this took some convincing on my part. The vampires didn't view addicts as any different from drainers. I just couldn't find it in my heart to be mad at someone who got swept away in the search for a little bit of oblivion - at least, not mad enough to want them killed for it. Lord knows I'd considered a little oblivion more than once: not only did I have to deal with my own issues, I had to put up with the unspoken worries and obsessions of the people around me.

If I found a drainer, that was a completely different story. Initially I'd tried to convince Eric and Pam to turn them over to the police. They went along with me once, but only to prove their point: one week after getting arrested for draining, the asshole came back to Fangtasia. He was incredibly stupid for having done so, but it showed me that the law just didn't care about punishing humans who preyed on vampires. After seeing that, I didn't fight Eric about how he chose to handle it, and didn't ask too many questions. After all: we were dealing with people who would willingly attempt to cause harm to my friends, all for the sake of money and a high. Fuck them sideways.

Most of people don't pay attention to these things, these minute changes of body language, on a conscious level. Even if they _do_ notice, it's because that person is right in front of them, or the behavior is directed at them. It has to be in their face. The average person tends to not be aware enough of their surroundings to pick up on how strangers interact with others.

Vampires were far more observant, especially the older ones: they had to be. They have better eyesight (to pick up on micro-expressions and minute changes in body posture) and better hearing (to pick up on elevated breathing and heart rates). But more importantly, they had to be constantly hyper-aware of their surroundings to ensure their very survival. Failure to detect the slightest hint of a threat could result in final death.

Pam would sometimes sit with me in Eric's booth while I scanned the crowd. She'd point someone out, take a guess at what they were doing there, and I'd tell her if she was right. It was a fun little game that we bonded over. She was a damn riot when she wasn't pissed in my direction. I was starting to see why she and Gran got on so well; they had the same moxie. Pam's was just a little more intense.

If it wasn't for Eric and Pam, I'd have been bored out of my skull. The thrill of the hunt was a great rush for a while, but it eventually wore off. I was always pleased whenever I caught someone, knowing that I'd helped Eric; I certainly wasn't upset whenever he showed me just how grateful he was for my assistance.

Even so, I was contemplating bringing in a deck of cards, a Sudoku book, or maybe even buying a laptop, just so I'd have something to do while I sat there. It was tedious.

So the first time a member of the Fellowship of the Sun "church" came into Fangtasia, you bet your sweet bippy I noticed. I noticed the _fuck_ out of that guy. He'd tried to dress like a fangbanger, but his posture showed obvious disgust for the people around him. He recoiled from anyone who touched him as if they'd poked him with a lit cigarette. He was cocky and full of anger.

Sometimes the fangbangers would carry a better-than-you demeanor, thinking themselves more delicious or more fuckable than the other fangbangers. This guy was different: the fangbangers were invariably covetous of vampire attention; he looked at them with barely contained contempt.

I immediately locked onto this man's brain.

_Damned, all of them. Want to see them all burn, like that vamper we caught in Dallas. Our path is righteous. God, grant me the strength to fight the perversion of these unnatural creatures, these abominations. Let Your holy light wipe them from the face of this earth._

I couldn't listen anymore; I thought I was going to throw up. The idea that someone could think of God as such a hateful entity wasn't foreign to me. This is the South: we're barely a generation removed from the Little Rock Nine, from separate drinking fountains and burning crosses. Hearing it directed at my friends, and at myself on some level, was absolutely horrifying. It was too close to home to feel like anything less than a knife in my gut.

It was his conviction of righteousness, his determination to cause harm to people I cared about – by any means necessary. He was willing to die if it meant taking out a single vampire.

Eric had never felt me in such distress; he could sense some of my emotions because of the blood he'd given me. I'd been alone in his booth when I heard the Fellowship spy; Eric and Pam were at my side in an instant.

In a haze, I pointed out the infiltrator. I was vaguely aware of Eric carrying me back to his office and settling me on his couch.

"Shit, Eric… he's from the Fellowship." I croaked.

"Pam has him," he responded. "Tell me what else you heard."

"Something about catching and burning a vampire in Dallas. Not much other that that." Eric tensed; I could hear his teeth grinding.

"Stay here. I will return."

I wanted nothing more than to curl up in his arms, to fall back into our safe cocoon where it was just the two of us, but he had to take care of business. I had to be strong while he kept us safe.

* * *

**Eric POV**

Fucking Fellowship of the Sun. Pam wasted no time escorting our guest into the bowels of the club. By the time I got there, she'd already tied him to a chair and glamoured him.

"Pam?" She knew what I wanted.

"He's Fellowship, all right. Aside from a silver cross around his neck, he was unarmed. A spy. Name's Joseph Hammond. Not local; license says he's from Tyler, Texas."

"Halfway between here and Dallas," I muttered.

Pam's eyes narrowed. "You want me to give him the usual treatment? Or are we opting for the 'Sookie Special?'"

If Sookie thought I would let this asshole off the hook with nothing but a glamour, she and I might be having our first real fight. I could not and _would_ not back down on this one.

"Sookie mentioned something about the Fellowship catching a vampire in Dallas. I need to know everything."

"Fuck," she swore. "You should call Stan."

Knowing that Sookie was resting in my office, I went into another room of the basement to call Stan Davis, the Sheriff in Dallas.

"Northman," he said. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

I got right to the point. "Davis. Caught a Fellowship spy in my club tonight. We were able to get information out of him. There was mention of the Fellowship catching and burning a vampire in your Area."

Stan was silent for a moment. Too long. This is where he should be either be saying he owed me a favor or telling me he was already aware of the situation. What the fuck was going on in Dallas?

"We have a problem." No shit, really? Thank you, Captain ObviousPants. Where would we _be_ without your insight? Oh, right: we would be having this fucking conversation.

"So you are already aware of the situation, then." I said through gritted teeth.

"As should you be, truth be told."

What. The. Fuck. "Tell me."

"Sometimes he just disappears for a fortnight. Knowing that, we didn't suspect anything until recently. We know now that he's been captured; no confirmation if he's been finally killed."

I frowned. Any vampire weak enough to be captured by humans had to be young enough to be kept on a tighter leash. That was how we rolled here in Louisiana, but Texas is... well, it was Texas. They do things different there.

"How is a captured newborn my problem?" None of my Area's vampires were missing. I kept my shit straight. I could fuck my woman senseless for a solid week and still run my territory; what the hell was Davis' excuse?

"It's not one of the young ones," Stan said. "Eric, the Fellowship has Godric."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	23. Dallas

A/N: There've been a few comments (nothing mean/upsetting/etc - you've all been very polite; thank you for that) about the Appius vs Godric thing. It actually took me a while to make a decision on that point. I'll spare y'all the rantybits, but if you want to read about why I wound up going with Godric, I posted some of my thoughts about it on LiveJournal: sophiemyst . livejournal . com / 712 . html (And there might be a few tidbits about upcoming plot ideas in that post. Just sayin'.)

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric came into the office and picked me up without a single word. I could tell it wasn't directed at me, but he was pissed. When he squeezed me a little too hard, I couldn't help but let out a little squeak. He loosened his grip slightly, but didn't set me down or apologize. He was too busy making tracks out the back door of Fangtasia. I supposed I should just be grateful I wasn't slung over his shoulder.

"Eric, what's going on? Are we in danger?"

"We are going to Dallas," he said as he set me down by the car. He helped me in and zipped around to get behind the wheel. I had just enough time to buckle my seat belt before I got planted from the forceful way Eric was driving. I half-expected him to start pulling back on the steering wheel.

Dallas. This was directly connected to the Fellowship spy we'd just nabbed; perhaps more specifically, it was tied to the captured vampire he'd been thinking about.

"Is this a seek and destroy? Or a search and rescue?" I asked.

"Yes." His voice was grim.

I wracked my brain to recall if he'd ever mentioned any friends in Dallas. He didn't talk much about his acquaintances or their current whereabouts. Sometimes he shared stories of days long ago, but if he'd mentioned anyone currently living (or undead, for that matter) in Texas, I wasn't remembering it.

"I can figure out the destroy part, that whole Fellowship thing. Who's the rescue?" I asked.

Eric's jaw clenched, and he glared at the road ahead of him. Hint taken. I wasn't going to push; I'd never seen him this upset. He'd talk when he was ready.

_Okay, think_. Eric had told me that each Area has its own Sheriff, and those Sheriffs had their own investigators; sometimes, in less populated Areas, one vampire did both jobs. In larger Areas, there might be more investigators; a place as big and populated as Dallas would have several.

If the Dallas Sheriff and his investigators couldn't handle this, what did Eric have to offer? The thought suddenly flashed across my mind that he had me: his own personal telepath. But he wouldn't loan me out like that, not without talking to me first. Would he? Not unless the situation was…

Fuck. Whoever we were rescuing, they were someone important.

My train of thought was interrupted when I noticed that we were pulling up to our house.

"We will be taking your car to Dallas," Eric said as he shut off the engine. "I will return in five minutes."

With that, he disappeared at vampire speed into the house. I got out of the Corvette and walked over to my car. A few minutes later, Eric emerged from the house with two duffel bags; he knew more about what to pack, and did it faster than I ever could.

I hoped we weren't taking my car for the trunk space, shuddering as I remembered Pam's gleeful description. _Eight bodies, if you cut 'em up right_. We hadn't had a chance to get it light-proofed yet; if we were going to be storing bodies in there, they'd be really-dead ones.

By an unspoken agreement, Eric did the driving. Again, he was better and faster at it. If I'd driven, it would take us three hours to get from Shreveport to Dallas. With the way Eric was going, it would be more like an hour and a half. Maybe less. We left the house just after midnight, which might put us in Dallas somewhere between one and two in the morning.

If sunrise was between 6am and 7am, as it generally was this time of year, that gave us four to five hours to… to do what? I had no idea what the plan was. Was there a plan? There had to be: this was Eric, for fuck's sake. He always had plans within plans, even if they only involved ways to get me naked.

Knowing he wasn't in a good mood, I tried my best to not snicker as I thought about my Bene Gesserit vampire boyfriend. Even if he would likely get turned on by the idea of St Sookie-of-the-Knife.

Damn it, Sookie. _Focus_.

Eric appeared to be concentrating and figuring out the details; I wasn't sure if I should ask or wait for him to tell me. After about half an hour, I couldn't take the heavy silence any more.

"What can I do to help?" I asked.

He frowned. "I do not yet know for certain exactly what you can do, but I would like you there with me. You are good at thinking outside the box, and if unavoidable, there are places you can go where I can not."

I didn't know if it was a leftover from the mess with Rene Lenier, but Eric was extremely protective of me. The fact that he was considering sending me out during the day for this – whatever this mess even _was_ – indicated just how serious the situation really was.

"So am I coming along as your telepath? Or…?"

He sighed. "It would not be in our best interests to advertise your abilities, even though we may need to make use of them. If that winds up being the case, we will be limiting who has access to that information. Officially, you will be there as my pet." He almost spat that last word.

Ah. This would be one of those "subservient Sookie" situations we'd talked about. "So basically, keep my head down and my mouth shut until you tell me otherwise."

Eric winced, but nodded.

"Eric, if that's what's best, that's what I'll do. I can tell you're already upset about this; I'm not going to add to your problems."

"Thank you." He looked relieved.

* * *

We pulled into a gas station just outside of Longview, Texas. The car and I were both running on fumes. While Eric filled up the tank, I ran inside to get myself an energy drink and a sandwich. It occurred to me that Eric could probably use some sustenance as well.

I started to pick up a single True Blood, then shook my head and picked up two four-packs instead. He wouldn't need all of those right now, or even for the rest of the night. But I couldn't see the Fellowship going out of their way to feed a captured vampire. If we were going to be rescuing a starved vampire, I didn't want to be the only thing on the menu.

Eric was growling at the gas pumps when I got back outside; he was still filling up the car. I took the opportunity to pop the trunk and put one of the four-packs of True Blood in there. Everything else went with me into the front. I sat down and started eating my sandwich.

"I bet these things are vile at room temp, but do you need or want one now?" I asked Eric, offering him a True Blood.

He took it and drank the entire thing in one go. "They are vile at any temperature."

"Just let me know when you want another. I picked up plenty. There's another pack in the trunk."

"Thank you. Good thinking." With that, we were back on the road. I finished my food and watched the scenery speed by as we made our way to Dallas.

Eric finally decided to speak up about 15 minutes later. "We are going to Dallas because the missing vampire is my maker, Godric."

"Oh, _fuck_." I clapped my hand over my mouth; I hadn't meant to interrupt.

"Yes. 'Oh, fuck,' indeed. If the Fellowship was able to capture a vampire as old as Godric, then none of us are safe. He is twice my age. I know Godric is not finally dead: I would have felt it. We must find him, and we must find out how they were able to take him."

That was a lot of information to take in, all at once. I gave myself a moment to process that.

"Are plans already in place?" I asked.

"I have several. We will find out more not long after we arrive."

* * *

When we started seeing highway signs indicating that we were approaching the greater Dallas area, Eric dug out his cell phone. It was a short call; he let the other party – whoever they were – know that we would be at the hotel shortly, and then on our way to their nest.

I had mental images of vampire birds until I remembered Eric telling me that vampires who live together refer to their communal houses as _nests_.

We pulled into the circular driveway of the Silent Shore hotel right around quarter to two. It was a rather nice hotel that catered to humans and vampires. I hadn't heard Eric make any hotel arrangements, so someone else must have handled that for him; Pam, maybe. Whoever managed it, we already had reservations when we arrived. We checked in and went straight up to our room.

Once the door was closed, Eric dropped our bags on the bed and pulled me into a close hug. It was welcome, but it surprised me. I hugged him tightly.

"I would like you to have more of my blood before we go. We do not have time to enjoy the process, but I will gladly make this up to you later."

I pulled back and looked up at him. Having had this discussion before, I could guess at his reasons. He would want me to be clearly marked (by sight as well as scent) as his, and I would want the extra energy and strength. To the best of my knowledge, it could only help us in this situation.

"Okay," I answered.

He leaned forward and began kissing my neck. I knew it would hurt more if I tensed up, so I tried to relax as best as I could. There was a sharp sting, the familiar tugging through my veins, and then his cool wet tongue was sealing up my wounds. He didn't heal them up as he normally would, with a bit of his blood applied directly to the marks. I wouldn't be a convincing pet without visible bites on me. He could heal them up later, if the blood he was about to give me didn't take care of it.

Eric took a step back and bit his own wrist before offering it to me. I took a deep breath and then closed my mouth over the bite. After a few pulls, he gently withdrew his arm and licked the wound. It would heal up on its own; he just didn't want to make a mess. We didn't have time to change into clean clothes.

"Give me just a minute and I'll be ready to go," I said. He nodded and I stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. I used the facilities, washed my hands, and gave my face a quick splash of water. The nervous energy that had been building all evening felt even more intense, amplified by my newly heightened senses.

As we left the hotel room, I realized that I could feel Eric's presence more strongly. I still couldn't read his mind, but he was less of a void than before; now there was a slight hum to his mental signature. That concerned me.

That hadn't happened the first time – the only other time – that I'd had his blood. Was there a cumulative effect at play? It wasn't the right time or place to ask such questions, but I made a mental note to bring that up later. We'd danced around the topic of me becoming a vampire, but he hadn't directly asked, and I hadn't decided. I didn't want it happening accidentally or accidentally-on-purpose until I'd had a chance to make up my own mind on the subject.

There were more pertinent last-minute questions I wanted to ask, but I waited until we were back in the car. We didn't need anyone else hearing our business.

"Anything I should know before we get there?" I asked, once we were back on the road.

"Until I tell you otherwise: be smart and act dumb. Do not go anywhere without me unless I am the one who tells you to do so. Do not attempt to project any of your influences; do not attempt to read any vampire minds. Your scent will attract enough attention, but that cannot be helped."

It suddenly hit me that I was about to jump off into the deep end. I would be meeting more vampires, and there was no way for me to completely blend into a crowd. Up until this point, I had only ever met any vampires when I was at Fangtasia, safely on Eric's home turf. We were in another Area, one where Eric had no political sway.

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	24. Just like a fly on the wall

**Sookie POV**

The Dallas Sheriff's nest didn't stand out from any of the other nearby houses. If there were any visual indicators that vampires lived there, I couldn't pinpoint them from a distance.

Even as we walked up to the door, it seemed like an ordinary house. A really _expensive_ house, granted. But it appeared to be a human abode. As we approached, I made sure to stay slightly behind and to the side of Eric. They would be watching us from the windows, and I wanted them to believe that I knew my place.

The door opened before Eric had a chance to knock. A dark-haired female vampire stood before us. I kept my face tilted slightly downwards and didn't look directly at her; I watched as best I could with my peripheral vision. I wasn't sure what to do with my hands. If I clasped them in front of me, it might look too humble. As awkward as it felt, I let them hang limply by my side; it might look stupid, but that could work to my advantage. I really wished Eric and I had talked more about this.

"State your business," the woman said.

"I am Eric Northman. I am here to see Stan Davis. He is expecting me."

"Ah. I have heard of you. I am Isabelle, his second. Stan did not mention that you would be accompanied."

Eric nodded his head in my direction. "This is Sookie."

"She is your pet?" Isabelle asked. She almost sounded surprised.

"She is mine."

"Come in. I'll let Stan know you're here. He'll be with you in a moment."

She let us in. I maintained my position behind Eric as we entered. Isabelle disappeared for a few minutes, leaving us to wait silently in the front room. I could sense about a half-dozen human minds, but didn't try to count or focus on the voids. I relaxed my shields enough to where I could listen in; I wasn't sure if there was any point in doing so. Judging from my minor experimentations at Fangtasia, Vampires shouldn't be able to detect that low level of mental snooping; most of them couldn't even detect my influences, but I wasn't taking any chances.

Isabelle reappeared and gestured for us to follow her. We stopped in a long hallway and she turned to Eric. "Eric, Stan will see you now. Your pet can wait back in the front room."

"Sookie does not leave my side."

Isabelle chuckled, but it sounded like she was disappointed. "I figured you might say that. You may both enter."

Oddly enough, we walked into what had originally been a lovely kitchen. Technically it was still a kitchen, and a very tastefully designed one at that. However, the shelves held boxes, books and office supplies instead of cups, bowls and dishes. Isabelle went over to one of the counters and leaned back against it.

There was only one other vampire in the room; I presumed he was Stan Davis. He stood up as we walked in.

As Eric was the only vampire Sheriff I'd ever met, I had no idea what to expect. It certainly wasn't what I saw: Stan looked like he should be answering phones in a call center. He wore khaki pants, a short-sleeved button-down shirt, and oddly enough, a pair of thick-framed glasses. He didn't look like his name should be Stan or Davis; he looked distinctly Slavic.

"Northman. Come, sit." He gestured to a large kitchen table with several chairs around it.

Crap. Was I supposed to sit, too? I decided to follow Eric and wait for him to tell me what to do. After he sat down, he pulled out a chair for me and placed it close to him; it was slightly behind him, not directly at the table. This all felt like a carefully coordinated dance. I sat down, taking care to not move my chair, and rested my hands on my knees. Recalling how too much glamouring could turn a human's brain into Swiss cheese, I let my eyes glaze over.

"Isabelle tells me this human is your pet. Why have you brought her?"

"It could not be avoided," Eric responded. "She was with me when I had to come here. She will not be a problem."

"She smells delicious and appears to be well-trained. Do you share?"

Any human looking at my pleasantly blank face might think I was listening to two men discussing fantasy football. I hoped it would look that way to a vampire, as well.

"Would you, if she were yours?" Eric asked.

To my relief, Stan laughed and shook his head.

Vampires don't _do_ small talk. Stan knew that Eric was impatient to know more about the situation, to jump into action. However, Stan wanted to make sure Eric was damn certain of who was running this particular show; they were both Sheriffs, but this was Stan's area, and he was in charge. I'd watched Eric do similar things to vampires who'd come to see him at Fangtasia.

"My sources tell me that the Fellowship may be holding Godric in the basement of their 'church', but we have not been able to confirm this. They haven't come forth with any demands; they haven't come forth at all. If they're holding him, we don't know for what purpose."

"Godric is not finally dead," Eric stated. "If I can get close enough to their church, I will be able to feel if he is there."

"What do you plan to do if he is?" Stan asked. That seemed like a loaded question.

Eric seemed to come to the same conclusion. "I know what I would like to do, but this is your Area."

From the corner of my eye, it seemed as if Stan gave the barest hint of a nod.

"We can't just storm the place," Stan said. "If they were able to take Godric, there's no telling what methods they have at their disposal. If at all possible, obtaining that information is a priority. Scout out the church and report back to me for further instruction. I will send Isabelle with you."

Eric nodded and stood up, with me just a split second behind him. Stan remained seated; Isabelle pulled away from the kitchen counter and gestured for Eric to follow her once again. This time, she led us into a small garage.

"We can take my SUV," Isabelle said. What was it with vampires and SUVs? Good grief.

Eric grinned. "I was thinking of a lower-profile vehicle. The car I brought with me is perfect for stealth."

He led us back to my car, and Isabelle nodded appreciatively. "Nice. Looks like a cop car. What about the out of state plates?"

"Easily remedied," Eric said. He walked to the back of the car and popped the trunk. After getting something out, he knelt down and started unscrewing the license place. Seconds later, my car had a piece of laminated plastic stating "TAG APPLIED FOR". Genius.

I knew without asking that I'd be back-seating it. It felt like I was Eric's personal shadow: I just kept following him. It was surreal, like I was a very nice-smelling fly on the wall; his own personal air-freshener.

"Forgive me," Isabelle said. "It occurs to me that I could be more properly attired for our little excursion. I will return momentarily." She dashed back into the house.

Eric opened the back door of my car and helped me in. When he got in the driver's seat, he adjusted the rear view mirror to look at me. We were alone in my car; we could speak freely, but we might not have much time.

"You were listening?" He didn't have to clarify; I knew what he meant.

"Yes. There were maybe five or six humans there, no particularly interesting thoughts that I could pick up."

"You are doing very well, lover."

"Thank you, Master." I smirked at his reflection.

Oh, he gave me _that_ look. I was gonna get it. And when I did, it was gonna be good.

Saved by the Isabelle. She had changed out of the dress she'd been wearing and was now sporting black jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. After closing the car door after her, she sniffed and turned in her seat to look at me.

"It's nice to meet you, Sookie."

I looked at Eric's reflection and waited. He nodded. "You may answer, Sookie."

"It's nice to meet you, Isabelle."

She raised her eyebrows at me and sat back in her seat. "My, you _have_ trained her well."

* * *

Thankfully, no one tried to speak to me for the rest of the ride. Isabelle gave directions while Eric drove. The Fellowship building (I refused to think of it as a _church_) was located in one of the suburbs just outside of Dallas, so it took about twenty minutes to get there. According to the clock in the dash, it was just a few minutes after three. Roughly four hours until dawn.

When we got closer, it was clear that we couldn't just drive by the Fellowship building. It wasn't located on a street with other buildings; it was set a ways back from the road. You couldn't approach it without being obvious.

Eric didn't even slow down as we passed. Isabelle suggested that we circle around the property and approach from the back, on foot. On the other side of the rather large (and frustratingly well lit) property, there was a small strip mall with an all-night diner. Perfect. We parked near the diner; I caught myself just before I went to open my door, remembering that the back doors couldn't be opened from the inside. I hoped Eric would remember; he did.

Isabelle turned to Eric and nodded in my direction. "We should leave her in the car or at the diner. She would only get in our way."

"No," Eric stated. "She tends to attract the attention of human males. With visible bite marks, near a Fellowship church, it would be even worse. She will be less of a problem if we bring her."

"You are that attached to her?"

"Her blood is quite remarkable. She would be difficult to replace." Both true statements; she didn't have to know they were non-sequiturs. As far as I could tell, Eric hadn't told a single lie this evening; he was letting their assumptions do the work for us.

We headed towards the diner, and then walked around behind it. There was a nicely wooded area between here and the Fellowship building. I looked down at my dress and shoes, wishing I'd changed into jeans and sneakers. For fuck's sake, I was still wearing the outfit I'd picked for Fangtasia. That felt like days ago.

As we were just about to step into the tree line, Eric turned to me and grabbed my arms. I was surprised by the sudden action, and found myself quickly wrapped around his back. I hung there like a backpack: my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist. His posture didn't change, like he didn't even notice the extra weight.

The fly on the wall stuff, back at the nest, was almost fun; I could listen in and be ignored. This was different. I felt more like an odd object. I knew Eric didn't think of me that way, but it was still uncomfortable.

I was the noisiest of our odd trio, what with my pesky breathing habits and all. Eric and Isabelle were as silent as a pair of cats as we made our way through the woods.

We stopped just inside the tree line, facing the building. There were guards patrolling around it. You don't need guards around a church unless you're the fucking Vatican.

"Godric is here," Eric quietly growled.

"I feared as much," Isabella responded. "Let me call Stan."

"Wait. We need to get a better idea of their defenses. You check out that direction," he pointed towards our left, "And I'll scout over this way."

She looked at him skeptically for a moment, then nodded and slinked off.

Once we were a good distance away, Eric turned his head slightly to me and whispered, "Lover, how many?"

"Eight perimeter guards, ten humans inside, and one vam…" OW. _FUCK_.

I gasped. Something was pushing back against my shields. Pushing hard.

"Sookie?"

The pain was overwhelming. Stars were swimming in front of my eyes. It felt like I was falling.

"Sookie!" Eric hissed.

And then everything went black.

* * *

A/N: Don't be too mad at me! The next chapter is already half-written and, with any luck, should be posted tomorrow.

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	25. Godric

A/N: I may be indulging in a wee smidge of hyperbolic melodrama when I say that this chapter was very nearly the death of me and/or my keyboard. Never have I had such a persnickety experience with stubborn characters and derailed plot lines. I was mildly terrified at the visions of torches and pitchforks, should I not pony up the goods, after that last cliffhanger. *shakes in boots*

I jest. Y'all rock my socks clean off. Just don't hit me. At least, not in the face. Er, not more than twice. Why? Oh. Um. No reason. *whistles*

* * *

**Eric POV**

My maker was currently being held by a bunch of fucking asshat humans. I had to kowtow to a Sheriff who couldn't keep his Area straight. Said Sheriff sent me off with his second to go on a fucking sightseeing tour, but not before both of them made multiple half-assed attempts to separate me from my lover.

I had just managed to scrape off the barnacle that was Isabelle, and was in the process of getting some actually useful information from Sookie when everything really started to go to hell. Because shit just wasn't weird enough.

Sookie had been able to tell me that there were eighteen humans here in total, and then she completely blacked out. The moment she started to fall from my back, I was able to catch her before she hit the ground. I gently pulled her around my body, cradling her in my arms. She still breathed. Her heartbeat was at its normal resting pace. What the fuck?

Suddenly, there was a commotion on the church grounds. All of the perimeter guards started running to the front of the building. Was this Sookie's doing? Had she lost consciousness from over-exerting her mental abilities? It couldn't be; I would have felt it if she'd used that widespread an influence. I ducked down and crouched further into the shadows; I wanted nothing more than to charge in, but in her current state, I could neither leave Sookie here nor take her with me.

Fuck. I was missing the perfect opportunity. All of the humans were now out of sight. I did not want to have to make this decision.

Before I could move, I saw a door open on the side of the building. It had opened to the outside, like any other fire door. Whoever had opened it was standing behind the door: I could not see them.

The door swung shut; there was no one there. I smiled.

A voice came from behind me. I was expecting him; he always had been exceptionally fast, even for a vampire. It was almost like teleporting, if the distance was short enough. Even I was unable to visually track him when he moved that quickly.

"Vad är hon?"

I grimaced. Really? In the midst of all this shit, his first words to me were to ask me what Sookie was? No _Hey there, child of mine, long time no see. How's it hangin'_? No explanation of what the bloody, screaming fuck was going on here?

I turned around and gave him a pained look. "Godric…"

And there came Isabelle. "Godric!" she hissed.

I scowled at her; _have some fucking respect for your elders, bitch._

Godric raised an eyebrow at the barnacle and she at least knew enough to not speak further.

"Return to Stan," he ordered her. "Inform him that I am well. I will not be returning to the nest. If I have a message for him, I will send it through Eric."

Politically, she would normally hold a higher standing than my maker. It was an unusual situation: at over two thousand years old, he was the oldest vampire on this continent, and as such the rules didn't exactly apply to him. Since he held no political position at all, his extreme age placed him higher in our hierarchies than this impudent whelp. Isabelle was obliged to follow his orders.

She looked at me. "I will run back to the nest. Stan will be in contact with you for a full report. Do not leave our Area without speaking to him."

With that, she sped off. Godric walked further into the woods, beckoning for me to follow. He stopped in a small clearing and turned to me.

"Your friend is starting to wake."

I looked down at Sookie; her eyelids were fluttering, and I couldn't fucking wait to see those blue eyes looking up at me.

"Lover," I murmured, kissing her forehead. "Come back to me."

There they were; I could stare into those eyes all night.

"Eric, we have to…" Sookie froze, mid-sentence, and turned her head to stare at Godric.

"That… was you, wasn't it?"

I watched as the two of them locked gazes. After a few seconds, Sookie looked startled, then confused. Though I hid it, she looked how I felt.

There were two possible explanations for had just happened. The first was that my maker had projected a massive glamour, and that had knocked Sookie out; she may be immune to glamour, but she can still feel it. A glamour powerful enough to affect a crowd, without the necessity of proximity or eye contact, was so rare as to be unheard of. In truth, it was not outside the realm of possibility, especially with a vampire as old as Godric.

The other possibility was that my maker and my lover were able to communicate telepathically. He would have sensed my presence, as I was his child; might he have sensed her when she scanned the building? All vampires have gifts, and sometimes they pass down from maker to progeny. So far, I was the only vampire who seemed to be able to feel it whenever Sookie attempted to project her influences. I could even sense it when she was trying to read my mind, if she tried hard enough. Was my ability to feel Sookie's abilities something he had passed down to me?

"It was my doing," Godric finally admitted. "I am sorry if it was a bit much."

So it _had_ been him, but in what capacity? Communication, mass glamour, or perhaps both?

From the look on Godric's face, he wasn't expecting this any more than the rest of us, but he seemed to be handling it best. Apparently the theme of everyone's night was a great big What The Fuck. So glad it wasn't just me.

There would come a time for answers and clarifications, but that time was not now. We needed to move. I'd never run from a fight, but I would not involve Sookie in an all-out war; if we were discovered, that was exactly what this situation would become. At the very least, I needed to get her somewhere safe and secure. I estimated that we had perhaps three hours until dawn, and there was still much to be done.

Still locking gazes with Sookie, Godric asked me, "Hon är en del älva?"

"Hon vet inte."

Godric raised an eyebrow at me. "Men du vet."

"Ja." Of course I knew.

Sookie scowled up at me. I know she didn't know what we were saying, but she always seemed to know when Pam and I were talking about in this fashion. I didn't like asking her to act like a pet, and it must have been uncomfortable for her; but after the shit we've been through tonight, she could fucking cope with a little Swedish.

"Eric, put me down please?"

"No," I said as I started walking through the woods. "Godric, the car is this way. How did you escape?"

He was walking by my side; he grinned playfully up at me. "I opened the door and walked out. Come. We will discuss this elsewhere."

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric used his super-speedy vampire tricks to get us back to the car in a matter of seconds. It was incredibly disorienting. I guessed Godric would have beaten us there if he'd known where we were going.

Eric gently set me on my own two feet once we were next to the car, so that he could unlock the doors. He helped me in, and oddly enough, Godric got into the back seat with me. It made me feel like Eric was our chauffeur, and picturing him in a driver's uniform – cap and all – sent me into a fit of giggles.

I knew it was my body's way of releasing nervous energy. In one night we had not only found out that Eric's maker had gone missing, we'd traveled almost 200 miles to rescue him. So far, the rescue was going off without a hitch. It felt like it was too easy, and part of my nervousness was waiting for that other shoe to drop.

Eric was in such a hurry to get going that he hadn't waited for me to buckle my seatbelt; I was in no state to take care of it myself. Godric must have been just as confused as Eric as to why I was snickering like a mad woman, but he only smiled gently at me. That's right: humor the crazy human. He leaned over and snapped the belt into place for me.

His close proximity made me stop laughing. There was a strange sort of aura about him, a sense of otherworldliness that didn't seem to come from his vampire nature. It was almost impossible to not have a feeling of awe at his presence.

He and I had engaged in our own bizarre Mexican standoff earlier, but I hadn't taken that time to really look at him. He appeared to have been turned somewhere in his late teens. I'd pegged him as roughly my height, even though we hadn't yet stood next to or in front of each other. He had the broad, muscular shoulders of a fully grown man; since vampire bodies don't really change so much after their turning, he must have had a human life that required heavy labor or frequent exercise. For all I knew, that could be anything from a farmer to a warrior. Or hell, maybe both, depending on the era and location.

Aside from the pale skin (and the glow that humans didn't seem to notice), Godric didn't look like a vampire. He certainly wasn't dressed like one, at least not like the ones I spent most of my time with: simple, off-white linen pants and a light-colored tunic. His hair was short, like an overgrown buzz cut, and matched his golden-brown eyes. He was stunning.

I realized I was staring, so I mumbled an apology for being so rude as I rediscovered the fascination of my nail polish. Oh, look: it's starting to chip away, must be time for a new manicure.

Godric merely chuckled. That almost made it worse; although my thoughts hadn't been sexual in nature, it felt as if I'd just ogled a statue of Buddha.

Eric unnecessarily cleared his throat and looked at Godric in his rear view mirror.

"How were they able to capture you?" he asked.

"They would have taken one of us sooner or later," Godric calmly stated. "I offered myself."

"What? Why?" There was a note of panic in Eric's voice. My own stomach was lurching at my suspicions.

"I wanted to speak with them. I thought I could fix everything, somehow." The resignation in his voice was really starting to make me feel sick.

"But Godric," I interjected, "They wanted you to meet the sun!"

"That they did," he admitted. "I had no intentions of doing so. They would not have spoken with me if they did not believe they had some power over me."

Eric sighed. "It has been a long evening. If you have no objections, Godric, we will return to the hotel and rest there for the day. There isn't enough time for this conversation."

"I have no objections," came the soft reply. Godric then turned to me and cupped my chin with his hand. He looked into my eyes and said, "Sleep."

Whether suggestion or glamour, that was all I needed. I was out like a light.

* * *

_We were in the Fellowship building, the inside of which was hypocritically decorated to resemble a house of God. A crazed man stood in front of the altar, shouting for his followers to strike us down. We were surrounded by dozens of humans bearing wooden stakes and heavy silver chains. I was hiding behind Eric and Godric; the former crouched for battle, the latter calmly awaiting his fate._

_I watched in slow-motion horror as a wooden arrow came whirring through the air, striking my fierce lover directly through his heart. His body started disintegrating before it could fully hit the floor._

_"NO!" My own voice was barely recognizable._

_Godric turned to me, an apology burning in his ancient eyes. I couldn't bear to look, couldn't bear to see his own loss that no doubt out-shadowed my own. I flung myself into his arms, sobbing against his shoulder. Anywhere but here, anything but this._

_Seconds later, I heard another whirring sound; Godric's body started to slip through my arms, flaking through my fingers. In pain and terror, I looked down to see that the arrow had gone completely through him, lodging itself in my own chest._

* * *

I bolted up, wide-awake and screaming. I clutched my chest and for a brief moment was expecting to find an arrow embedded there. My heart ached with pounding; my lungs couldn't get enough air. All around me was dark, but I could feel the softness of a bed under me. As the sleep and fear cleared from my eyes, the soft glow of a clock drew my attention: it was almost noon.

I reached to my side and felt a cool body at rest. Safe. We were safe. In relief, I lay back down, curled up around my lover, and wrapped my arm around his waist. His waist, which was covered in soft linen. That didn't seem right; Eric never wore clothes to bed if he could help it. I traced a hand up his torso to touch his face. Further up, to run my hands through the hair that wasn't nearly as long as it should have been.

Embarrassment turned to panic as I groped around the bed and discovered that Eric wasn't there. It was just me and Godric.

* * *

"Vad är hon?" – What is she?

"Hon är en del älva?" – She is a fairy?

"Hon vet inte." – She does not know.

"Men du vet." – But you know.

"Ja." – Yes.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them, I just like to play with them a bit.


	26. I don't think we're in Dallas anymore

A/N: And now, the answers to at least some of your questions...

Edited to add: telepathic communication will be italicized and appear between guillemets (or "angle quotes"), «_like this._»

* * *

**Eric POV**

I was driving my maker and my lover to a hotel where we could rest for the day. The intensity of the night had finally gotten to Sookie, and after an unexplained fit of giggles, she soon fell asleep in the back of the car. Had not been able to feel how tired she was, I might have suspected Godric of being able to glamour her.

Although after tonight, it wouldn't surprise me if that had been the case.

It nearly startled me off the road when she sat up screaming, "No!" In the rear view mirror, I saw Godric pull her into his arms to comfort her out of her bad dream. She would not wake; she gasped, cried out once more, and then they were gone.

Just like that. _Gone_.

Instantly, I whipped out my phone and tried to call her – remembering only too late that she would not have her cell phone with her. Of course there was no answer. Godric would have no phone on him.

Sookie and I had exchanged blood, but we were not yet bonded: my ability to sense her was severely limited by range. I was cursing the distance between us: wherever she was, it was too far for me to feel whether she was even alive.

I had been pretty certain that Sookie was part fairy, and this was as close to proof as I would get without one of them coming forth. Given my prior dealings with the fae, I was just as content to let them stay the hell away. I had a relationship with Sookie, not with her family tree.

She had never mentioned being able to teleport; I could see why she would keep something like that from me, but I had not sensed her holding back when we recently talked about her abilities. As she was unaware that the fae even existed, she might not think to attempt such a thing. She had been unconscious, in the midst of a nightmare from which she would not wake. If she had been the one to make Godric and herself disappear, where would she have taken them?

It all depended on her dream. She could be anywhere. I had no way of getting in touch with Godric, and not enough time to find either of them.

But what if she had not been the one to make them disappear? It was possible that she was under enough stress and feeling enough terror that her fae relatives were the ones to take her away. Then there really could be no telling as to her whereabouts.

All I could do was go back to the hotel and hope she was there. The sun was fast approaching, and I was running out of time to find my lover. Fuck. Fuckfuck_fuck_.

I returned to the Silent Shore hotel with an hour until dawn. I knew the room would be empty before I opened the door; I could neither smell nor sense my lover or my maker.

Just because my night wasn't fucked up enough, my phone rang: someone was calling me from Shreveport. More specifically, from my own fucking house. Rage clouded my senses.

I answered with a snarl. "When I find you, you will wish I had only killed you."

Laughter. They were laughing at me. I would skin them alive. Slowly.

"Even if you could, are you really that upset with me?"

Wait. _What_? "Godric?"

"I take it you were expecting someone else," Godric replied.

"Sookie is with you?" Please say yes, please say yes. _Please_.

"Yes. She is still unconscious, but has calmed. This is a new thing?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "She has never done anything like this before, no. Not while waking, and not while asleep."

Godric was silent for a few moments. "We have much to discuss." Hello, understatement of the year; such lovely weather we're having, wouldn't you say?

I thought quickly; I would need to speak with the Sheriff before I could return to Shreveport. Technically we were equals, but this was his Area and I had no desire to create animosity with a colleague. What I wanted was to leave for Shreveport right fucking now, and I could not even settle for leaving at first dark tomorrow.

Godric sensed my frustration and simply stated, "We will be here when you return. If she does not rise before I rest, I will leave a note for Sookie to remain within the house during the day."

After we hung up, I called Stan. Perhaps this business could be handled over the phone. I spoke briefly with Isabelle to find out that the short answer was No, It Could Not.

There was nothing else for me to do but wait for the sun to take me under for the day.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I closed my eyes and took some deep, calming breaths. And then some more. Okay, maybe just one or two more than that.

The last thing I remembered was falling asleep after a night from absolute hell. It wasn't the _worst_ night I'd ever experienced, there was just too much of it. My mind was so full of events, trying to reconcile everything made my head hurt; I wished I could shake my head to clear my thoughts, as if it were an Etch-a-Sketch.

How did Godric and I get separated from Eric? Or had he, for some unfathomable reason, gotten another room? Screw the questions, I had to pee. I could see the barest outline of a nightstand next to the bed, and groped the lamp until I found the switch.

I nearly lost bladder control when I realized I was in my own room, back in Shreveport. Pee first, questions later.

Once I had attended to the demands of my biological functions, I went back into the bedroom. There was a note on the nightstand.

_Sookie,_

_Eric will be joining us later this evening. He requests that you do not leave the house today._

_- Godric_

I sighed. It would have been nice if he'd explained how the hell we'd gotten here, or where Eric was. It a minor comfort to at least know that Eric would be on his way home; it meant he was still around to do so.

It felt weird to take a shower with Godric lying in my bed; he didn't look the part, but in my mind he was Eric's dad. But I figured it wasn't as if he was going to be waking up anytime soon, and damn if I didn't need a shower.

The shower helped immensely, as did the cereal, sandwich, and two apples that I devoured. Had I eaten at all yesterday? I couldn't remember ever having felt so hungry or tired. I guessed it was to be expected after such a long night. Once I'd cleaned up after myself in the kitchen, I went back to my bedroom. I wasn't used to sleeping in clothes anymore, but for the sake of modesty I crawled back into bed wearing a tank top and some yoga pants.

* * *

I woke up alone in bed, or so I thought. Godric wasn't lying next to me, but he was sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed. He'd been watching me, which was a bit unnerving. I hoped I hadn't done anything weird or embarrassing in my sleep. More than once I'd woken up draped over a gloating and excited Eric, who took delight in telling me just how much I desired him, even in my sleep.

"No more bad dreams, I take it?" Godric asked, with an expression that I wanted to name the _Mona Lisa smirk_.

I sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Um, no. How did you…? I mean… You were already out when I woke up from my nightmare."

He frowned. "So you _have_ had more."

I scrunched my eyes shut and rubbed my face, trying to make sense of this conversation. "No, there was just the one. At least, as far as I can recall."

"Do you have them often?"

Apparently last night just wasn't enough to fulfill my weird quota for the week: I got to wake up to the oldest creature on the continent asking me about my dreams. Maybe the next time I woke up, I'd find myself in a pool of salsa, wearing a biscuit bikini.

"Not really," I answered. "Why are you asking? And not to be rude, but I'm more interested in finding out how we got back here, and without Eric."

He laughed and winked at me. "The two conversations are not unrelated. You fell asleep in the car. You cried out in your sleep. I reached out to comfort you, and then you and I were here. I suspect that, had we not been touching at that moment, you would have woken up alone."

"Have you spoken with Eric? Is he okay? Where is he?" If we really had disappeared like that, I couldn't begin to imagine what Eric's reaction would have been.

Godric tilted his head and looked at me curiously. "I spoke with him before sunrise, and again after sunset. He should be meeting with Stan as we speak. He wanted you to call when you woke, but perhaps it would be better to wait until he is done with his meeting."

I nodded, still in shock, trying to process everything. Then something else occurred to me.

"Nothing… happened, right? You and I didn't _do_ anything. Did we?" I didn't want to offend him by visibly cringing; he was attractive and all, but not in that way. Not to me. Not when I had my insanely sexy and insatiable Viking.

Godric shook his head and looked hurt. "I would not take advantage. Nor would I interfere with your relationship with Eric."

I blushed, mortified of my previous concerns. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insinuate… It's just, I don't know you."

"Yet." His smile returned, and eyes twinkled. I grinned back at him and nodded.

"So we just poofed out, huh?" I asked, making an explodey gesture with my hands. "And we showed up here?"

"On this very bed. I imagine you felt a strong desire to be somewhere you felt safe. What safer room than Eric's resting place? I stayed here to make sure you were not alone when you woke."

In that light, it didn't seem so weird to have woken up next to him. Instead of uncomfortable, I felt more secure. I realized I was grateful.

"Thank you for that. I think it would have really freaked me out to wake up alone after that dream. Especially given the circumstances."

"You've never done that before."

It wasn't a question, but I thought about it anyway. I wondered what Godric knew about me, what he knew about what I could do. He didn't seem that surprised to have been teleported to another town by a sleeping woman. How much could a person really be surprised by anything after two thousand years?

"No, I haven't. If you don't mind me asking, what has Eric told you about me?"

«_Not much, but I've already figured out a few things._»

I inhaled so sharply, it stopped in a hiccup. He gave me a crooked smile; it reminded me so much of the smile Eric gives me when he gets excited, my body responded. I blushed.

Time for a little experiment: I would try thinking at him.

«_Just like I've figured out where Eric's learned some of his tricks._»

He snickered mischievously. Yeah, I recognized that snicker.

Time for a distraction. I needed off this bed, out of this room. "I think I'm going to need some coffee if I've any hope of being alert enough for the conversations we'll all be having tonight. Would you like a drink?"

Godric smirked and raised an eyebrow at me. Sweet baby Jesus, I definitely needed a distraction; Eric had obviously learned from a master of suggestive facial expressions. Last thing I needed was Eric's maker flashing me his eye porn.

I cleared my throat. "Um, True Blood, I mean."

He laughed and got up off of the bed. "Lead the way."

* * *

Godric sat down at the kitchen table as I started the coffee maker and popped a True Blood in the microwave.

There I was, alone in a room with an ancient vampire who just so happened to be the maker of my vampire lover. Aforementioned lover wasn't there because I teleported away from him after having a nightmare. What the hell do you talk about after that?

When the microwave dinged, I took the bottle out, shook it up, and handed it to Godric.

I ogled the coffeemaker until my brew was ready, and greedily slurped at it the second it was in my mug. I sat down at the table opposite Godric, who had been quietly watching me.

"So," I said. "I'd like you to meet my friend, Awkward Silence. Lovely chap. Not so good at parties, I'm afraid."

He laughed. "Most of our conversation should wait until Eric joins us."

"True."

We sat quietly for a few minutes, sipping our drinks. I wasn't very good at small talk, but I figured I'd try it on for size.

"You know, I think you're the first vampire I've met who didn't get all weird about the way I smell."

"Weird? How so?" he asked.

"In my thesaurus, I've crossed out all of the synonyms for 'delicious' that I've heard from vampires."

Godric shrugged and took a sip of his True Blood. "Why state the obvious? It would be akin to stating that your eyes are blue."

"Yes and no. I've never met anyone who mentioned wanting to eat my eyes."

"Touché." Again, he shrugged. "You do have a nice scent, but I have smelled your kind before."

I was about to ask him what he meant when the phone rang. Knowing it had to be Eric, I jumped to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Lover, your voice could only sound more beautiful if it were screaming my name."

"Mm. I miss you, too." Boy, did I ever. Especially when his voice went all husky like that. "Coming home soon?"

"Already on my way. I should be there in an hour or so."

* * *

A/N, pt 2: before anyone asks or jumps down my throat about the dream timeline, I have had similar experiences (minus the teleporting, obvs). Yeah, it's weird, but dreams have their own timelines and such. People often remember something as one dream, but the dream actually took place over several different REM cycles. So a dream that might have seemed like a few minutes could have taken place over a few hours. Work with me, people.

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	27. Reunions and conversations

A/N: just a reminder - telepathic communication are italicized and appear between guillemets (or "angle quotes"), «_like this._»

* * *

**Sookie POV**

How stupid was it that I felt like a kid at Christmas? Eric was coming home, and I was downright giddy about it. We'd barely been separated since I moved in with him. Sure, we spent time apart, but this was different. I hadn't realized just how much it would affect me to wake up without him.

Godric still sat at the kitchen table; he was watching me with a gentle smile on his face.

"You really care for him, don't you?" he asked.

"I think he's _spiffy_," I replied, ducking my head shyly. Eric and I weren't quite at that stage where we ascribed specific words to what we were feeling. "I take it you overheard his half of the conversation, what with the whole vampire hearing thing?"

He nodded.

"Oh hell, it never occurred to me: do we need to get you some fresh clothes or anything like that?" I knew for a fact that none of Eric's clothes would fit him, but Pam never needed an excuse to go shopping.

For that matter, I hadn't set him up in a guest room. Gran would have a fit at me for my lack of hospitality. Although, given the circumstances, maybe she'd understand. Remedying that situation right now would give me something to do, something that would make that last hour fly by.

Godric mentioned that he should have some clothes that Pam had purchased for him; if they were still here, they'd be in the closet of one of the guest rooms. Perfect! We went upstairs to the room in question; the closet was stocked with all manner of things. I'd be willing to bet that Pam still shopped for him when she ran out of things to buy for Eric or herself. She'd even started making noises about shopping for me, something I was not inclined to encourage. I set Godric up with clean towels so that he could have a shower.

While he was showering, I put some fresh linens on the bed. I was stuffing the pillows into their cases when he emerged from the bathroom. With a pillow tucked under my chin, I looked up just in time to see a very naked Godric strolling quite casually to the closet.

Of course, he noticed that I'd noticed; if that hadn't been bad enough, he winked at me.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

"Yeah. I know: you vampires and your lack of modesty. Eric's told me all about it. Shown me, even. Multiple times. Nice tattoos, by the way."

With a slight smirk, he disappeared into the closet.

It was funny: now that I knew my Eric was on his way back to me, it felt like my confidence was returning. After waking up with a strange-but-friendly vampire, I'd been thrown off. Godric wasn't a threat: not to me, not to my relationship with Eric. Even so, it had been an unsettling experience.

Perhaps Godric was always like this, but I got the feeling that he wanted to tease me; maybe it was his way of seeing just how compatible I was for his child. Maybe it was his way of testing my mettle. Maybe he was just as goofy and flirty as Eric. Whatever it was, I wasn't going to let him get my dander up. Let him prance around in a tube sock and a sombrero, if he wanted.

I giggled at the mental image and let him know I was headed back downstairs.

* * *

If we hadn't had company, I would have greeted Eric wearing something he would have enjoyed ripping off of me. Since I wasn't up for demonstrating that level of immodesty, I decided to settle for something else.

I was waiting for him in the kitchen. Godric came into the room just as I heard my car pulling up to the house. I looked at him with a finger held to my lips in the universal hushface gesture, and hopped up to sit on one of the counters. That particular counter was by the door, and would be partially behind it when the door opened. Quickly, I pulled my legs up and got into a low crouching position.

I had a plan, a bit of an experiment. I tried to project my influence in such a way that he would think I was in another part of the house. Godric obviously felt something when I did that, because he tilted his head and gave me a curious look. For a brief second, it made me wonder why he and Eric were the only ones who seemed to notice. I put that out of my mind, deciding it was something to talk about with them at a later point in time.

After giving me one last grin, Godric put on his best blank face as we heard Eric approach the door.

Eric walked in and tossed our duffel bags onto one of the kitchen chairs. "Good evening, Godric. Where's Sookie?"

I sprung off the counter, launching myself at Eric's back.

At the last second, he whirled to face me and grabbed me by the waist. In a dizzying blur of motion, I found myself between a wall and a hard Viking.

My legs automatically wrapped around him; my little leap had put me slightly higher than I would usually be in this position, so Eric and I were directly face-to-face. He held me against the wall with the pressure of his body, so his hands were free to run through my hair as he leaned in and gave me a bone-melting kiss.

He broke the kiss too soon for my liking, and leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"You're going to have to do better than that, lover, if you hope to catch me off guard."

Damn it. Vampire senses and reflexes are just plain cheating. I squeezed a hand between us and pinched one of his nipples, causing him to growl and nip at my earlobe.

"Don't worry, I'll get you later. I _so_ fucking promise you that."

He lowered his hands to my waist and lifted me, slinging me over his shoulder. Turning away from the wall, I heard him say, "Shall we reconvene in a more comfortable setting?"

It seemed odd that he didn't appear to be making a fuss that his maker was in his house. No big bear hugs, no real displays of affection. I had no idea how long it had been since they'd talked, or even been in the same room. Then again, I also didn't have any context of their relationship.

Eric gently set me down on the couch in the living room. Godric had already taken the comfiest armchair, normally a place where Eric would sit. Eric sat next to me and pulled me into his lap. I eyed him carefully and saw the telltale signs that he hadn't fed yet this evening.

"You two get started, I'm going to get a drink. Y'all want a beverage?"

Eric nodded, but Godric declined. I went into the kitchen and fixed myself a sweet tea while Eric's blood was heating up in the microwave.

Returning to the living room, I noticed that they had decided to wait for me. I gave Eric his blood and curled up next to him.

"First things first," Eric said. "Stan was not pleased that either of you left his Area without letting him know, but I advised him that it couldn't be helped. I did not give him the specifics. All he knows is that you both went back to Shreveport without me, while I stayed back to give him the report of what happened."

I nodded, relieved that my secrets were still relatively safe.

"Unfortunately," Eric continued, "I do not think Stan will let this go. He craves more power than he already has, and this situation has made him look weak. It would be wise to speak with him before too much time has passed."

Godric nodded. "I have other issues to discuss with him as well. We will speak soon."

"That being said and out of the way, I would like to know what happened. Godric, why did you do it?"

"As I said, I wanted to talk with them," Godric said. "Ultimately, the problem is fear. Humans and vampires are alike in this regard: fear is viewed as a sign of weakness, and weakness is seen as unacceptable. Instead of overcoming our fears, we place blame and learn to hate that which we fear. If this process is left unchecked, we will bring about or become that which we fear. Quite simply, I wished to keep them from becoming the monsters that they believe us to be."

Eric was silent, so I spoke up. "Did it work?"

Godric looked pensive, almost sad. "Water can wear away at stone, given enough time."

"They wanted you to meet the sun. They would not have kept you there indefinitely." Eric sounded impatient, but I could tell he was trying to be respectful.

"I had already delayed them twice." Godric shrugged. "They treated me well. Since I was there of my own volition, they did not attempt to restrain me."

"So when you said you just got up and left, you were serious?" I asked.

"It would not be the first time I walked their grounds after dark," he replied.

The idea shocked me. As foolhardy as his plan might have seemed, perhaps he had been able to get through to them on some level.

"When I sensed that the two of you were there, I knew I had to leave. The situation would have only escalated and ended badly. It would have undone all of my efforts, and then some. I created a diversion and slipped out the side door. You know the rest."

Wait. He'd sensed both of us? I wondered if Eric had picked up on that; most likely, he had. But that was a different conversation.

"Not all of it," Eric grumbled. "Sookie, what happened in the car?"

"I don't really know, to be honest," I said. "I mean, I know that I fell asleep in the car and had a bad dream." I couldn't help shuddering as I remembered the details of my nightmare. "I woke up in our bedroom, sometime around noon. Godric told me later that we'd just disappeared from the car and were here the next second."

Eric gave me a look that said he meant business. "No creative truths: have you ever done that before?"

I shook my head. "Not to the best of my knowledge. It's never happened when I was awake, and I couldn't tell you if it happened when I was asleep. Next time I talk to Gran, I'll ask her if I did any sleep-walking as a child."

"While it happened unexpectedly, are either of you really surprised by it?" Godric asked. What did he know that I didn't? For that matter, Eric didn't look terribly surprised, either. In fact, he looked like he really didn't like the way this conversation was headed.

"Quite honestly, yes," I stated. "I know I'm not the average human, but I'm still about fifty times younger than the next oldest person in this room. There's a lot I haven't seen."

"Are you entirely sure you're human?" Godric asked.

I blinked and frowned. "Well, I'm definitely not a vampire."

«_Yet._» Godric winked at me.

"Don't change the subject, Godric." In one unspoken word, he brought up at least two very different conversations. I wasn't ready to have one of those just yet, and not with him.

I could tell Eric was about to ask me what the hell had just happened, but Godric saved me. "I was teasing her. Your Sookie and I appear to be able to communicate telepathically."

If I didn't think I'd catch some form of hell for it, I might have laughed at Eric's expression.

"How is that possible? She cannot read vampire minds."

"Don't ask me how it works," I said. "At the risk of sounding childish, he started it."

Eric closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This falls into the same category as your other abilities: no one else can know this. It would place you in too much danger, if word got out."

"I agree," said Godric.

I rolled my eyes. "It's not like I was planning to take out an ad in the Shreveport Times. You know that I never wanted anyone to find out about me. Especially vampires, no offense."

Hmn. That reminded me. I'd had my own things I wanted to find out, before the conversation derailed.

I poked Eric in the arm to get his attention, and narrowed my eyes at him when he looked at me. "Back to this whole 'is Sookie human' thing. You know something I don't."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "I know many things that you don't."

I scowled at him. "Don't make me sic my Gran on you."

The devious bastard actually laughed at that. "Have you ever considered that maybe she wouldn't want you to know, either?"

My head was spinning. This was just all entirely too much.

"Well," I grumbled, "If no one's going to tell me, I'll just have to figure it out myself. On that note: is there anything else we need to discuss right now?"

Eric looked concerned at my sudden change in mood, but shook his head.

"Right. Well, I'm going to leave you two to catch up. I need to go think." With that, I got up and headed up to our bathroom.

What I really needed was for Calgon to take me away from all of this bizarre shit, but I wasn't going to tell Eric that. The minute I mentioned wanting a bath, he'd naked and filling up the tub before I could get up the stairs. He'd no doubt find ways to distract me, and I didn't want that. Not just yet, anyway.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	28. Thinkybits

A/N: I've started using my LJ (link in my profile) to discuss questions that come up frequently in reviewer comments. No direct spoilers, but sometimes I'll give hints. And in light of the recent dust-up regarding stories getting removed from FFnet, I've beefed up my WP blog (also linked in my profile) and am getting better about making sure the stories are up to date there.

* * *

**Eric POV**

In all the time I had known her, I had never seen Sookie leave a conversation the way she'd just done. She was no coward. My gut response was to charge after her, to make her talk to me. It was Godric's hand on my arm that kept me from going up those stairs.

"Give her time," he said. "She has much to consider, and we can't be the ones to tell her."

He sat back as I nodded.

"Her Gran must be something else if Sookie felt she could threaten you with her wrath," Godric said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"It's not her Gran that's something else. But Adele, her Gran, definitely knows. The first night I met her, she sent Sookie out of the room and informed me that if I hurt her, 'forces you can't imagine will be set into motion.' That's a direct quote."

"Adele did not give you specifics, then."

I shook my head and gave him a brief explanation of how I'd come to believe that Sookie was part fae: her scent, her taste, her ability to influence people, and the death of her great-uncle Bartlett.

"You did not mention anything of her parents. Are they still alive?" Godric asked.

"No. They died when she was quite young, in a flash flood."

Godric sat and pondered that for a moment. "The uncle died from the sky, the parents by water."

_Fuck_. How had I missed that?

"If you love her and want to keep her out of the fairy feuds, you should consider a blood bond with her. If not more."

Did I love her? I knew I wanted her with me at all times, and for as long as I could have her. Forever, if she would let me. Lust was no small part of that equation: never before had I met someone who so easily satisfied me and yet left me wanting more.

I had strong feelings for Godric and Pam, and perhaps that was as close as I had ever gotten to love. They were my maker and my child; of course I cared for them. I would kill for them. I _have_ killed for them. I would kill for Sookie in a human heartbeat, but my feelings for Sookie were different; they were not borne by blood.

A blood bond might be a deterrent, but it wouldn't guarantee her safety. All it meant was that if anyone caused her harm, I would be within my rights to take revenge on her behalf. It would be expected. Even the fae would respect that, but any retaliation on my part would only escalate and get me involved in their centuries-long infighting.

If Sookie were made vampire, she could more easily protect herself when I was not with her. Would her abilities survive the transition, perhaps even grow stronger? If she was then able to read vampire minds, there was no telling the amount of trouble she would face. For that matter…

"Godric, how is it that are you able to silently communicate with her?" I asked.

"That is an interesting question. I take it that you cannot?"

I frowned. "No. The first night I met her, I had tried to test her ability by thinking some very graphic scenes at her. She had no reaction. I can sense it when she is using her telepathy and influence, which no other vampire seems to be able to detect."

Godric smiled. "I had not known that gift was passed down to you. Pamela does not have it?"

"I suspected you might say that. No, Pam cannot detect it either. Seems an odd ability to have. Any idea where it came from?"

Godric nodded, but did not elaborate. "If you'll excuse me, I have phone calls to make. Is there a phone in my room?"

"There should be. If not, you can bring up the one from the kitchen, it's a cordless."

I wondered if Sookie was ready for a distraction yet. I knew I was.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I could feel vampire eyes following me as I left the room; I wasn't normally one to flounce out the way I'd done, but I was just on overload.

There was a lot to think about. The things Godric had said about the Fellowship of the Sun were certainly worth pondering. I'd grown up seeing the effects of fear and hatred my entire life; people were scared of me because I was "Crazy Sookie", and no one was sending me any gift baskets. No sleepovers for me, as a child.

As something of an outsider with my black sheep status, I was able to more easily view the subtle caste system that develops in a small town in the South. Old money vs new poor (there wasn't much "new money" to speak of), employed vs unemployed, white vs everything else... Some of these things were subtle, some of them not so much. People were more inclined to move away from Bon Temps than they were to move to it, but it took a generation or two before the "newcomer" status really wore off.

All of that was relatively easy stuff, I thought as I started filling the bath. At the very least, it felt less urgent. It had become clear that whatever Godric thought I was, it was something Eric had also given much thought. What's more, Eric had reason to think that Gran was aware of it.

I could forgive Eric for not sharing his thoughts with me, but why would Gran hide something like this from me? If I wasn't fully human, shouldn't I have a right to know about it? Was that "simple" thing the reason for my abilities? And if so, why didn't Jason have anything like that?

When I was growing up, it never occurred to me to think of myself as anything other than human. I'd read all about magical creatures of legend and lore, but there'd been no proof of their existence… Just like there'd been no proof of telepaths, either. Shit. When vampires came out, I'd figured there had to be other things out there, but by then I was long past questioning my own self.

I looked through our selection of bubble baths and oils, opting to go for the former. I was going to need all of the light and fluffy I could get. For that matter, I wished I'd had some Mr Bubble. Gran used to buy that as a special treat when we were kids, and the smell was always comforting to me. The mental image of Eric picking up something as silly as that made me smile.

Once the tub was full and bubbly, I pinned up my hair and got in.

One thing at a time. Godric and Eric seemed to believe I was something other than human. If vampires were real, what other creatures could be real? What else had I read about? Bloody hell, that was a long list. Knowing that vampires had their own campaigns of disinformation, to help them keep them from being discovered, made it even more complicated. The other races (species?) would likely have done the same.

As much as I hated to admit defeat, I recognized there was just no way for me to sift through some list and come up with a sufficient label. On to the next matter. I may not be able to figure out _what_, but I might be able to figure out _how_.

Whatever they thought I was, Eric seemed to have reason to believe that Gran was already aware of it. Like a light bulb over my head, it occurred to me that Gran's threat to Eric must have something to do with all of this. She'd had no problem putting him in his place in front of me when we were all living here; whatever she'd said to him while I was out of the room that night, she hadn't wanted me to know.

What was it? Think. Okay. How would Gran know about anything supernatural? She was born and raised in Bon Temps, married my grandfather and had two kids. While I hadn't really gotten a chance to know him, my dad was normal by all accounts. Before he met and married my mother, he'd just as much of a ladies' man as Jason. So which tree did my apple fall from?

I knew even less about my mother: she'd been an only child and her parents died when I was very young. That seemed pretty mysterious to me, but she and Gran were never close. My mother had always been jealous of anyone that she viewed as competition for her husband's time and affection, including Jason, Gran and myself. So if she was the key, it was a dead end. There was just no way for me to get more information about that side of my family.

My aunt Linda was also fairly normal; besides, she'd died of cancer a few years ago. My cousin Hadley was a wreck after that. We'd never been close, since she was afraid of me just like the other kids, but she and Jason got along well. She was a few years older than me, and had we hadn't spoken since she went off to college. Whatever I was, neither she nor Jason carried the same traits. Even so, it was easy to see the family resemblance between the three of us. Hadley could have been my sister; we looked that much alike.

Poor Gran. A mother should never outlive her children. She'd been through so much with her kids, what with Dad dying in the flash flood and that mess with Aunt Linda and Bartlett.

Wait. Bartlett. Mysterious death. How does a person fall hard enough into the ground to leave a crater, when there was nothing to fall from? Gran had been mad enough at him to learn how to shoot a gun, which to my mind took her out of the running for being supernatural herself. If she'd been able to toss him around like that, there was no need for guns.

But Gran knew _something_.

What if Gran hadn't learned to shoot because she wanted to kill Bartlett, but to protect herself from whatever it was that _had_ killed him? That was a tempting possibility to consider, but didn't feel quite right. I scrunched my forehead as I tried to remember the timelines. If Bartlett had died – no, been killed – before he'd molested Aunt Linda, then there really was no telling as to the motivation. But if he'd been killed after the fact, then his death could have been one motivated by revenge. In which case, the killer would have been someone who cared deeply for her. In either scenario, Bartlett's killer most likely wasn't human.

Was it a relative or a friend of the family? I rolled my eyes at my own self for that one. Obviously, if I wasn't entirely human, then this had to be a relative. Christ on a biscuit, my brain was so fried.

Okay, so it was a relative. And if they were part of Gran's threat to Eric, that had to be a relative who was still alive. Right? Unless ghosts and spirits exist, too. Fuck me.

With a sigh, I realized that Godric and Eric had been right to not tell me. Any anger or resentment I had towards Eric for withholding that kind of information would go down the drain with the bathwater. It wasn't his place to tell me my family's business.

The trick would be getting Gran to fess up.

Just then, there was a quiet knock at the door. "Mind if I come in?"

Eric was knocking? This _was_ a weird night. "Get in here, you silly vampire."

He walked in and shut the door behind him, smiling at my light response. "How goes the thinking?"

"Ugh. First off, I'm sorry I walked out like that. I was just…"

"It's okay," he said, interrupting me. "It's been a stressful few days for us both."

That was nothing if not an understatement. "True, but it was still rude. And whatever I am, it's not your responsibility to be the one to tell me. I need to talk to Gran."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	29. Wherein they have THAT conversation

A/N: Once again, that pesky "real life" thing interfered with my ability to post yesterday. Deepest apologies, o beloved readers! I know I'm probably setting a goofy precedent, what with this "trying to post every day" thing. I also know it won't last forever, but I'm trying to see how long I can stretch it. Tell me you mind. ;)

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric and I wasted no time after my bath. To be fair: I started it. Before he could finish toweling me off, I had my arms around his neck and my lips on his. He may have let out a growl or three, but they didn't sound like complaints to my ears. We didn't even make it to the bed, the first two times.

Eric was still good to go after round four or five, but I needed a breather. He was lying on his back in our bed, and I was curled around him with my head on his shoulder. Snuggled up next to him, I let my mind wanted. I had completely forgotten that Godric was in the house up until that moment, and I blushed when it occurred to me that he might have heard us.

"Lover, don't let me stop you from enhancing your delightful scent, but why on earth are you blushing?"

Of course he would smell that. I keep forgetting to ask if he can hear it when I roll my eyes. "Eric, how soundproofed is this room?"

"There isn't much in the way of soundproofing that can keep out two-thousand year old ears, especially since you're something of a screamer." I knew he was smirking; I could hear it in his voice. When Gran and I were staying here, I'd tried to be quiet. Even so, she couldn't hear nearly one tenth as well as Eric.

"You're embarrassed? Really?" he teased. "About a little noise?"

"You and I have different definitions of the word if you think that was 'a little noise.' And besides, isn't Godric your _dad_ or something like that?"

I thought he was going to choke, he laughed so hard. I sat up and stared at him, confused and slightly irritated.

"What's so funny? He's your maker. Doesn't that make him kind of like a parental figure or something?"

"Far from it, lover," he responded. "Vampire maker and child relationships are not so easily categorized. Do you think Pam sees me as a father? If I made you vampire, would you see me that way?"

And there it was. The first time either of us had really mentioned it out loud. It was phrased as a joke, but I could tell he was testing the waters.

"Well… no. That would certainly make things awkward if I did."

"This _is_ the South…" he started.

Oh, hell no. "You hush your mouth, mister. This may be the South, but not all of our family trees look like wreaths."

Eric chuckled at that and pulled me back down to snuggle with him. We were quiet for a moment.

"You would make an excellent vampire," he said, in a more thoughtful tone.

"Why? So I could keep up with you during our sex-a-thons?" I teased.

He snickered. "Lover, you have _no_ idea. I think you would wear me out."

Figures. "No, but seriously: why do you think I'd be a good vampire?"

"You are smart and cunning. You have strong survival instincts, and your abilities would likely only increase."

"Mm. I'm not so sure I like that last idea, and I really don't like the idea of outliving everyone I love."

Eric was silent. I cringed as I realized what I'd just said. We still hadn't said it, but that didn't mean we weren't beginning to feel it. I couldn't speak for him on that matter, but I knew how I felt. I rushed to clarify my statement.

"I just don't like the idea of outliving my family."

"Were you expecting to die before your Gran? Death is a part of life. We all have to lose ones we love."

It was what he hadn't directly said that hit me like a ton of bricks: Eric would outlive me. For that matter, if I remained human, he would have to watch me grow old. If we stayed together that long, anyway. I knew I cared for him more than I cared for anyone who wasn't related to me.

If we had both been human, I could see myself staying with him a long time. Maybe not in a "white picket-fenced house with kids and a dog playing in the yard" kind of way, but I wasn't so sure I wanted those things.

I liked children well enough, I suppose. I didn't have much experience with them; no one wanted Crazy Sookie babysitting their kids. If my telepathy was genetic, could I really be okay with the possibility of passing it down to any child of mine? If it turned out that I wasn't really human, that meant I was part of the supernatural world. I might be on the fringe of it, being only part whatever, but it was still a consideration. For that matter, I couldn't stand most human men long enough to go on a date with them, let alone have sex with them. And if I was going to be spending most of my time with vampires, could I really bring a baby into that kind of life? I knew it had the potential to be far more dangerous than anything I'd yet seen.

On the other hand, I would have a distinct advantage over rebellious children who thought they could lie to their parents, but how fair would that be to them? Kids need to be able to test their boundaries to learn how to interact with the world at large. They need the freedom to make mistakes. It could either turn out very well or very poorly.

I'd never been in a position to think about whether or not I wanted to be a mother. There had never been anyone interested in me, at least not in that way. When it really came down to it, I still wasn't in a position to consider it. Vampires couldn't procreate in that fashion.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I could see myself staying with Eric a long time. I just wasn't sure how to reconcile the human/vampire relationship dynamic. If we loved each other, one of us would have to sacrifice something. He would have to give me up, or I would have to give up my life. No more daylight. No more chocolate. No more breathing. Ultimately, the question was: would I gain enough in return to make it worthwhile?

Either way, I would have to die: it was just a matter of when, and whether or not I was still walking around after the fact.

"Sookie?" Eric's question broke me out of my musings.

"Oh. Sorry, I kind of went off in my own little world there."

"Want to talk about it?"

I rolled over slightly, laid an arm over Eric's chest, and rested my chin on my arm so that I could look him in the eyes.

"It's complicated." I said. "And we don't have much time left before sunrise."

"Surely we have time for a summary. If it's important to you, I'd like to know what it is."

Eric gently ran a hand through my hair and let it come to rest cupping my cheek. I turned to kiss his palm and then back to rest my cheek against his hand.

I sighed. "Okay, this is not me making a decision. This is me saying I'm thinking about it. There are some good reasons for me to consider being a vampire, but I need more information first."

"Anything. Ask me anything and I will tell you." I could tell he wanted to pounce on me, to smother me with kisses. While I wouldn't have minded, it meant a lot to me that he wasn't trying to keep me from talking about it.

"I wouldn't have to kill anyone, would I?" That was a big one for me. I knew my sensibilities would change at least a little, but I didn't think I could stomach taking someone's life.

He shook his head. "For sustenance? Certainly not; the first few years, you will need a fair amount of real blood, but there is no shortage of willing donors. There is also a wide range of synthetic blood. If someone threatened you, I would hope you would defend yourself, killing them if necessary."

Fair enough. "I know my abilities put me at risk as a human. How much more dangerous would it be if I could do the same things as a vampire? For that matter, what if I found I was able to read vampire minds? That seems like it'd earn me a fair amount of negative attention."

"You'd be able to protect yourself far better as a vampire, so as your abilities currently stand, it would be a great deal safer. You will always carry your secrets, just as I will always carry mine. No vampire in their right mind advertises all of their powers."

Just like I'd known him for months before I knew he could fly. Sneaky bastard. He had a point there.

"What about my scent?" I asked. "None of you vampires seem to smell like anything as far as I can tell, even after I've had your blood."

Eric frowned. "That, I do not know; Godric might. I can ask him, if you wish."

I thought about it for a minute. "Actually, I'd like to ask him. I'd like to get some of his thoughts on the matter as well; just a different perspective, is all."

I yawned and looked at the clock. Eric would be going under soon. "Do vampires dream?"

"Rarely. Most of the time, I close my eyes and it feels like I open them a minute later."

"You said 'rarely.' Does that mean it happens at all?" I asked.

He was already out. I snuggled back into the crook of his arm and was soon fast asleep.

* * *

I woke up at around three in the afternoon. After stretching lazily, I looked down at Eric. He hadn't moved; not like he ever did when he was out for the day. It hadn't disturbed me before, which in retrospect felt kind of odd. It bothered me now, especially when I thought of myself possibly spending my daylight hours that way. There were an awful lot of hours to lose during the day, especially in summertime. Next time I was in front of a computer, I'd look up the sunrise and sunset times for the winter and summer solstices. That should give me some idea as to what I might have to look forward to.

I mentally put that aside for now. There were other things I needed to find out: I picked up the phone and called Gran.

We chatted for a bit and made plans to get together for dinner. When she offered to call Jason, I couldn't think of a reason to say no. If I was something different, and he and I had the same parents, then he was different, too. He might not have gained any special abilities as a result, but this could affect him in other ways.

I asked Gran if she needed anything from the store, since I'd be coming over. She mentioned needing a few various and sundry things, so I made a list. After letting her know I was going to get ready and then be on my way, we exchanged good-byes and hung up.

While I showered, I pondered how I would approach Gran about this. I knew I couldn't bring up whatever it was she'd said to Eric on the night of our first date. Even though I thought that was a pretty big hint in the matter, she'd made it clear she didn't want me to know about it.

Hinting wouldn't work; she could ignore it. Demanding to know definitely wouldn't work; she'd try to change the topic by lecturing me to respect my elders. I'd have to simply ask and hope for the best. But how to ask? What to say? _Hey Gran, Eric and his maker think I'm not human: know anything about that_? Yeah, I didn't see that one going over so well.

I'd watched my Labyrinth. I'd read my Brothers Grimm. The trick to getting the right answer was simply this: ask the right question. If someone asked me what I was, I could tell them I'm human, female, blonde, short, American… the list goes on. Hell, I'd played the creative truths game all my life. I knew all about the ways to get out answering questions. Some of that I'd learned from Gran. She was tricky. Could I be trickier?

Would I even need to? Maybe if I asked the right question, she would give me a straightforward answer.

There was something wrong with all of this. A person shouldn't need a battle plan to talk to family. Maybe I was over-thinking all of this. Lord knows it wouldn't be the first time I'd done that.

Once I was done cleaning myself up, I threw my hair into a quick ponytail and got dressed. I left Eric a note on the nightstand, letting him know I'd be having dinner with Gran and Jason, and that I had my cell phone on me. The sun wouldn't set until around eight o'clock, and I wouldn't be back before then. I felt bad that for the second night in a row, Eric would be rising without me there, so I added a little post script telling him to check his phone as soon as he got up.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	30. Fairy tales

A/N: I've been pondering whether or not a smarter Sookie would ever decide to let Eric turn her into a vampire. I've got my own ideas on the matter, but I'm interested in hearing yours. There is now a poll on my profile for that very purpose. Feel free to leave your thoughts in a comment, if you have more to say than Yes/No/Uncertain.

* * *

**Eric POV**

I reached out to pull my lover closer, but found only empty sheets. Sookie was not in the bed, nor could I feel her nearby. I frowned and noticed a note on the nightstand.

_Eric,_

_Went to have dinner with Gran and Jason in Bon Temps, left around 4pm. Going to try to have The Talk tonight._

_- Your Lover_

_P.S. Probably won't be back by the time you rise tonight. I'm sorry, and I promise I'll make it up to you. On that note: check your phone._

I didn't like that she wasn't here, but she needed to know what only Adele could tell her. There was no way of knowing when one of her mysterious relatives – or one of her relatives' enemies – would show up. To the best of my knowledge, they hadn't done so once in over twenty years; that was no reason to hold off on finding out. There was no telling whether they would wait another twenty years or twenty days, or if they would ever show up at all.

I reached over and grabbed my phone. There were two new messages, with pictures attached. Pictures? I opened them and nearly bit through my lip. The first picture was of Sookie in her car, with her dress pulled down ever so slightly. She'd used her other arm to push her breasts up, and they were nearly falling out of her bra. The sun was shining on her skin, and I wanted to taste it. The second picture made me growl: it seemed that today, my lover's panties only barely qualified as such. Temptress. Minx.

_Mine_. She'd even put it in writing.

After throwing on some pants, I made my way to the kitchen. Sookie wasn't here, and I suddenly found myself ravenous. True Blood would have to do. While it was heating up in the microwave, I retrieved my laptop. No doubt there was a fair amount of work to be caught up on.

If the Queen had heard of my adventures in Dallas, she would want a report as well - not that she ever seemed to bother reading the things I sent her. I'd sent her a report mentioning that I had a telepath in my employ, and there was barely a response. Curious. Dangerous. If she was shirking her responsibilities, that could appear as a weakness. It seemed highly unlikely that she wouldn't be interested in a telepath. Not that I minded her staying away from Sookie; quite the opposite. Her silence on the matter was a concern; it could also mean that she was planning something.

I heard Godric's door open and close just as I was getting my blood out of the microwave, and put another one in for him.

"Good evening, child," he said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Good evening, Dad," I said with a smirk.

Godric raised an eyebrow at me and may have even blinked once or twice. A slow smile crept over his features. "_Dad_?"

I laughed at having caught him off-guard. It was no easy thing to do, and not for any lack of trying on my part. "Sookie seems to think that since you're my maker, that makes you my father."

He chuckled and sat down at the table with his drink. "Did you clarify the matter for her? Or should I ask what her intentions are with my son?"

"I explained that things weren't quite so cut and dried with vampires, but ask away if it amuses you." I was certain it would. It would also give her a good opening for any questions she might have for him.

"I spoke with Stan last night," he said. "There were some differences of opinion, but the matters between us have been settled. We should hear no more of what transpired."

"And the Fellowship?"

Godric shrugged. "As a group, they haven't come forward with anything. It wouldn't be in their best interests to do so. There are some individuals with whom I will be keeping contact, most likely over e-mail."

That was news to me. "Since when do you use e-mail? I thought you hated cell phones."

"I still don't care for them, but they can be useful from time to time."

As a rule, Godric didn't like to be tied down to any single place or thing. He liked being able to wander freely. All vampires had to be ready to up and move at the drop of a hat. Up until a few years ago, it had been a necessary part of our survival. Even now it could be a good thing; I had numerous alternate passports for different countries, should the need ever arise. Godric just took it to a bit of an extreme. I was about to ask him what his plans were, but he spoke up first.

"Where is your lovely Sookie this evening?" Godric asked.

"She went to have dinner with her brother and grandmother," I replied. "When she gets back, we will most likely be heading to Fangtasia. Would you like to join us?"

"You know, I think I would like that. I haven't seen Pam in decades. Does she know I'm in town?"

I smiled. "No, I haven't yet told her."

Godric grinned impishly. "Don't. I owe her a good surprise."

Whatever he was referring to, I'm sure it would make an interesting story. I knew he wasn't about to tell me, but I could always get it out of Pam. Keeping that in mind, I sent her a text message letting her know that I would be coming to Fangtasia later tonight.

Just after I set my phone down, it buzzed to let me know I had a new message.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Gran always swore that she wasn't psychic or telepathic, but somehow she still knew that something was up the minute I walked through her front door. Perhaps raising two generations of children can do that to a person.

After I set down the bags of groceries I'd picked up for her, she gave me a hug and a hairy eyeball.

"You want to talk about it before Jason gets here, or after he leaves?" she asked.

Definitely before. I wanted to get this out of the way; otherwise, it would eat at me more than I'd be able to eat at my own dinner. All of my careful planning just got tossed out the window in a rush of verbal spew.

"Gran, Eric and his maker think I'm not fully human."

She took a long look at me and sat down at the kitchen table. Nervously, I did the same.

"Now, Sookie dear, why would they think such a thing?" As I figured, she was going to try being evasive.

"They say I don't smell like a human. Godric, that's Eric's maker, told me he'd smelled 'my kind' before. Eric says I don't taste entirely human." I couldn't help but blush a little at that confession.

Gran was quiet. A little too quiet.

"Gran? You know our genealogy better than I do. Am I fully human?"

"No, Sookie. You're not. Neither is Jason." She got up and started putting groceries away. I gulped and went to the fridge to get some sweet tea; my mouth was suddenly very dry.

After I'd poured us both a glass of tea, I sat back down. It looked like Gran was trying to figure out the best way to say something, so I waited nervously.

"You know I loved my husband very much…" she said.

"Granddad wasn't human?"

"Young lady, if you want me to tell you anything, you'd best not interrupt me." Eep. _Young lady_. That was one step away from the dreaded middle name usage, and an indicator that I ought to keep my face shut.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Now then," she said, "My husband and I were very much in love, and I never regretted marrying him, even after I realized he couldn't give me any children."

She paused while she was getting ingredients out for dinner. She could have been making fried wallpaper paste and I wouldn't have noticed.

"After a few years of trying, we were delighted when I finally got pregnant. About a year later, I was able to get pregnant again. He loved those children as if they were his own; he never knew that they weren't."

I looked at the clock; Jason would be arriving in half an hour or less. I didn't dare interrupt her now. I'd bind and gag him in the back of his truck if necessary, just so that Gran could finish.

"One day, before the children came, I'd met a man out in the garden. He was so beautiful. I'd never laid eyes on such a magnificent man. He told me that his name was Fintan. He'd been watching me for a while, and he… well, a lady doesn't tell such things. When he found that I wouldn't leave my husband for him, he still swore to give me anything I wanted."

I was literally on the edge of my seat as I listened. Gran was telling all of this as casually as she might tell me about a movie she'd seen the other day.

"We killed two birds with one stone, he and I. Nine months later, your father was born. And don't you look at me like that. I haven't always been the old lady you see today. Fintan and I were only together twice in that way, but he did come by to check on us over the years. When your aunt Linda was still a toddler, Fintan told me that the visits had to stop, but he never explained why."

She looked sad. I wondered how things would have turned out differently if she'd met Fintan first. And who _was_ this Fintan character?

"I loved him in my own way. Different from how I loved your Granddad, but it was love all the same. I can see a little bit of him in you, Sookie. I don't know if he's still out there, but sometimes… well, sometimes when I'm out hanging the laundry…"

She sighed. "His appearance never changed over the years. He never aged a single day. Oh, I'd known he was different the first time I laid eyes on him. They don't make human men that pretty. Most men don't glow, either."

_But vampires do_, I thought, before I remembered that humans couldn't see that about them. My eyes must have been like dinner plates. Forgetting completely about not interrupting, I asked, "Gran, what was Fintan?"

"Fintan said he was half-human, half-fairy. Which makes you, dear girl, one-eighth fairy."

Damn Jason for taking that exact minute to pull up in his truck.

"Gran, Jason doesn't know, does he?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, and I think it'd be best if it stayed that way. He doesn't need to know, not like you do. Only things he got from Fintan were his good looks and ways with women. Same as your father."

Dinner was pleasant, and Gran acted perfectly as if she and I hadn't just had a mind-blowing conversation about my heritage. Fairy. I was a fucking _fairy_. I tried to compartmentalize that topic in the back of my brain, to stow those thoughts away for later, but it was too difficult. At least part of that was shock that I hadn't needed to wheedle it out of her. She'd just come out and told me. I wondered why she hadn't told me before now.

Then again, how could she have ever brought it up? It wasn't the sort of thing she could just casually bring up over morning pancakes. _By the way: I had an affair and you're part fairy. Could you pass the preserves_? Maybe she'd just been waiting for me to ask.

Jason made us laugh with silly stories about his job, but I could barely pay attention. I just made sure to laugh whenever Gran laughed. If Jason had any idea that something was up with me, he didn't ask or let on that he'd noticed.

About an hour after dinner, I noticed that it was starting to get dark. Eric would be up by now. Jason surprised us by saying he'd help clean up; I didn't need to be able to read his mind to know that he had something he wanted to talk to Gran about, as well. I took the hint.

"It's starting to get late, and I think I might have to work tonight. I should probably get going."

"All right, dear," Gran said. "You let me know if you have any more questions about that story we were talking about earlier." She winked at me when Jason wasn't looking.

"Will do, Gran." I couldn't wink back, because my brother had turned his head towards us.

"Y'all were tellin' stories without me?" Jason asked, with a bit of a pout. He loved a good story.

Gran smiled and patted him on the arm. "Just fairy tales, Jason."

"Oh. Ain't we a bit too old for those things?" he asked.

I smiled. "Never."

We all exchanged hugs, and I stepped out into the cooling night air. After unlocking my car door, I stopped and looked around. The woods were full of night time sounds: crickets chirping, gentle winds whispering through the trees, and underneath it all there was the sort of stillness you can only get in the deep woods. I reached out with my mind, checking to see if I could pick up anything. There was nothing there, nothing that I could sense. I had no idea what a fairy's brain would even feel like.

I got in my car and locked the door. Grabbing my cell phone, I sent Eric a quick text message: _On my way home. Talked with Gran. You're up next. -S_

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	31. Sharing isn't always caring

**Eric POV**

"Uh oh."

I glanced up from my cell phone to see Godric looking curiously at me.

"Sookie is on her way home from talking with Adele, and says I'm 'up next,'" I explained.

He chuckled and got up to rinse out his bottle before throwing it in the trash bin. Instead of sitting back down at the table, he hopped onto the counter where he sat with his legs tucked under him.

"What are you going to tell her?" he asked.

"I suppose it depends on what she says and what she asks." There were a number of ways that discussion could have gone, if it happened at all. Until I heard the specifics of what Adele told Sookie, there was only so much I could plan. That reminded me…

"So, what are your plans, Godric?" I asked.

He smiled at me. "I thought we were going to Fangtasia this evening."

"I meant beyond that." He knew what I meant.

He shrugged. "I'll stay here for a while, then see where the wind takes me. Is my bike still here?"

"Indeed. I've kept it up, so it should be running fine. If not, we can get you a new one."

"I think I'll try riding it tonight. If it doesn't run, I'll borrow one of your vehicles."

"What's mine is yours. You know that."

Even if I hadn't been obligated to give my maker anything he asked of me, I had always been willing to do so. It was strange to think that there was now an exception to that rule: I could never give him Sookie. He wouldn't ask it of me, but it was still an odd feeling to have something I would not share with him. She was mine, and mine alone.

"Except her," he said.

It really did seem like he could read my mind sometimes. Knowing someone for a millennium can have that effect, and we had a closer bond than most vampire makers and children. Still, his ability to communicate telepathically with Sookie did make me wonder.

I nodded. "Except her."

"I wouldn't ask it," he said. "With the way she looks when she speaks of you, she wouldn't be willing."

Now I was curious. He had me, and judging by the mischievous grin on his face, he knew it.

"Oh?" I tried to act nonchalant. I knew it wouldn't work, not with Godric. Maybe I'd check the security tapes if he didn't fess up.

"Mm-hmn. What does your child think of Sookie?" His eyes were twinkling. Devious.

"Pam teases Sookie something fierce, but she likes her more than she lets on. You know how she is. What do you think of Sookie?"

Godric grinned. "It sounded to me like you've met your match." I knew he'd heard Sookie and me earlier, but I also knew what he was really saying. I smiled and waggled my eyebrows.

I polished off the last of my blood and looked back at my laptop. What I really wanted to do was send Pam a text telling her that when she saw Godric, she should call him "Grandpa", but he'd told me to not let her know that he'd be there tonight. She knew that Sookie and I were back in town and that I was coming in tonight, but I hadn't had the chance to fill her in on what had happened in Dallas. That sort of thing wasn't to be discussed over cell phones unless absolutely necessary.

As expected, Queen Sophie-Ann had requested a report of the events of the past few days. I wrote it up as quickly as I could, once again leaving out any mention of Sookie other than to say that she had traveled with me. Since we'd interacted solely with vampires, her abilities hadn't been necessary. That was the on-paper story, in any case. It was important that I downplay Sookie's usefulness.

I had just sent off my report when I heard Sookie's car coming down the road. I closed up my laptop and set it aside just as she was coming through the door.

She was smiling. Excellent. "So were you guys in agreement, or was there a betting pool? And was Pam in on it?"

Godric snickered, and I answered. "We haven't discussed it with Pam, and it's unfortunate that neither of us thought to bet on it. Come, tell us what you've found out."

Sookie tossed her purse and keys on the table and sat in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and enjoyed her soft warmth.

"The short version is that my real grandfather was a half-fairy named Fintan."

I tensed slightly. She wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't been snuggled up against me. She didn't pick up Godric's tell – a slight twitching around his eyes - but no human would have; he was too fast.

She turned and looked nervously at me. "Is that a bad thing?"

Godric answered. "Good and bad are always subjective."

"Well, I'm only one-eighth fairy. That's really not all that much." She looked at Godric, then back at me. "Or is it? Y'all are keeping something from me again."

"Did Adele say whether or not she was still in contact with Fintan?" I asked.

Sookie shook her head. "Gran said she hadn't talked to him since my dad was a baby."

She then gave us the more detailed version of what Adele had told her. I groaned internally when she mentioned that Fintan had been willing to give Adele whatever she'd wanted. Fairy favors always come with a price; if she was lucky, that price was paid with the same acts that had conceived her children.

Now I was able to understand the true impact of Adele's hints. If Fintan felt that his kin were being mistreated, he could bring the full force of his father's Royal Guard in revenge. She couldn't have known that, couldn't have truly understood what that entailed; I did, as did Godric. We had never felt the brunt of that particular fairy's wrath, but we had seen the results. The fae were beautiful; the things they did to their enemies were not.

"Does this really change anything, though?" Sookie asked.

_Oh, my lover, if only you knew_.

"For the moment, no," I replied. "We can talk more about this after we return from Fangtasia tonight. But do not talk about it there at all, not even when you're projecting your invisibility. Of all your secrets, keep this one as your most closely guarded."

She gave me a long look before leaning in for a quick kiss. "Hmn. Okay. I'm going to go get dressed, then."

"I'll be up shortly." I needed to change as well.

When I heard our bedroom doors close and could sense that Sookie was on the other side of them, I finally spoke. Just to be on the safe side, I kept it in Swedish.

"How long do you think before Niall or Fintan show up?" I asked Godric.

He frowned. "If they've been watching? Days. Hours, maybe."

Fuck. "Let's hope they haven't been watching, then."

Godric shrugged at that. "If they have, but haven't come forth by now, you know at least that they do not object to your presence in her life."

* * *

**Sookie POV**

How does a girl react to finding out that her grandmother had an interracial (interspecies?) affair, and that because of that, the girl is actually part _fairy_? Added to which, girl's centuries-old vampire boyfriend reacted to the name of her real grandfather. What was up with that? Eric would tell me if he felt I needed to know; that much I had already figured out about our relationship.

There were no books on the matter, but I'd guess the answer to the original question was this: Little Miss One-Eighth-Fairy would go out with her vampire boyfriend and get absolutely drunk off her gourd. Unless Eric had any objections, that was precisely what I planned on doing this very evening.

With that in mind, I walked into our closet and picked out an outfit that wouldn't get me into too much trouble if I were completely sloshed. No dresses. Black jeans and a nice top sounded about right. Since I'd already taken a shower, I settled for washing my face and brushing my hair before putting it back into a ponytail.

Eric came into the bathroom just as I was finishing up and looked disappointed that I wouldn't be joining him in the shower. He knew full well that if I did, we probably wouldn't make it to Fangtasia tonight. At least, not anytime soon.

There was something I wanted to ask Godric, and now was as good a time as any to start testing our ability to mentally talk with each other. I needed to ask him about that.

«_Hey Godric, are you coming to Fangtasia with us tonight_?» I asked.

«_I will be there, but I will be arriving slightly later,_» came the response. Interesting. I wondered what the range was on this style of communication.

«_Neat. If it's okay, I've got some stuff I'd like to chat with you about._»

«_I look forward to it._»

We managed to make it out of the house in decent time, despite Eric's tempting efforts to the contrary. He and I were taking his Corvette, as usual. Godric had already checked on his bike, and it was running just fine. He said he had some things to take care of before he would be joining us, but that he'd be at the club in an hour or so. I couldn't help but notice Eric's smirk when Godric said that.

I would have to stay on my toes to keep up with those two. Not even a full night back, and they were up to something. As soon as we were in the car, I asked Eric about it.

"Does it involve me, whatever you and Godric have up your sleeves?"

He looked at me, a perfect picture of innocence. I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"You can't fool me, Eric. I know you're up to something. I just want to know when to duck and cover."

"It's actually not me who's up to something. Godric is just… being Godric. That being said: Pam doesn't know Godric is in town."

"But she'll be finding out when he… Oh."

I knew how Pam and Eric got down. I'd seen the way Eric and Godric interacted. It wasn't too hard to figure out that Pam had something interesting headed her way.

When we got to Fangtasia, I went to sit in Eric's booth while he and Pam went to speak in his office. After my second drink, I decided to lay off the alcohol for a while. I sat and mentally scanned the crowd, wishing I'd grabbed something to write with, so I could take notes on who needed to be tossed out.

After about a half-hour, Eric came out to sit on his throne for a while. It was amusing to see him glare at the crowd: he'd told me that most of the time while he was sitting there, he was thinking about far more entertaining things he could be doing with me. Poor grumpy vampire.

Pam came over to me and I pointed out all of the customers who needed to be removed from the premises. Once those issues were resolved, she came back down and sat in the other side of the booth.

Pam and I had a strange relationship. We had Eric and Gran in common, and not much else. I was still waiting for her to get me back for what I'd made her do that on the night of the infamous "chicken incident." There was no telling how long she could hold a grudge; it could be that she was simply enjoying my nervous anticipation, or it could be she was just biding her time until I no longer expected her retaliation. Keeping that in mind, I couldn't wait to see what Godric had in mind for her.

I didn't have to wait long. Pam was blathering on about her latest shoe acquisition, and I was only half-listening.

«_Pookie, can you tell me where Pam is right now_?»

«_Pookie_?» What the hell? I could hear him laughing in my head, and it was all I could do to not react in front of Pam. Hopefully she thought I was just impressed by her latest pair of Manolos, or whatever they're called.

«_You're in luck_,» I sent. «_She and I are both sitting in Eric's booth at the moment._»

«_Excellent. Don't be startled._»

I was about to ask Godric for clarification on that last bit when suddenly, he was there in front of me.

Or rather, he was in front of Pam.

More specifically, he was _on_ Pam.

Eric had told me that if the distance was short enough, Godric could move so swiftly that even Eric couldn't visually track him. It was almost like teleporting.

Godric had appeared in Pam's lap, straddling her. One hand was in her hair; the other was around her lower back. I could tell he was pressing himself against her as he shifted their positions to the side.

With this new vantage point, I could see that he was kissing her in a way that almost put Eric to shame.

He turned, winked at me, and disappeared.

Without Godric to hold her in that position, Pam fell back onto the seat of the booth, arms and legs flailing in all directions.

She lay there for a moment. I heard a string of cursing in another language before she sat up.

Pam looked a hot mess. Her hair was all over the place, her make-up was smudged, and she had a dazed expression on her face. She recovered quickly and rolled her eyes.

"Fucking _Godric_."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	32. Another night in Fangtasia

A/N: _Mnogo hvala_ to **blueiris** for helping me brainstorm and holding my hand while I wrote this chapter. She knows why. I tease because I love. *evilgrins*

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**Sookie POV**

As soon as I got over my initial shock, I tossed up an invisibility influence to try to spare Pam some humiliation. After she was done blaming Godric, she'd blame Eric for not warning her. Then she might blame me for, I don't know, being witness to it.

With no small amount of grumbling, Pam got up and sped towards the back of the club. Since getting out of earshot wasn't bloody likely, I tried to at least wait until she was out of sight before I started laughing.

When I finally wiped the tears from my eyes, I looked up and noticed that Eric was having trouble maintaining his composure. He still looked fierce, but one side of his mouth was twitching slightly.

Godric appeared without any warning this time, sitting in the booth across from me. He looked quite pleased with himself.

"Do you and Pam always greet each other that way?" I asked through my giggles.

"No, but I owed her one." He smiled. I wasn't so sure I wanted to know why, so I didn't ask.

Godric looked around at all of the people in the club; he was noticing that none of them were paying us any attention. He looked at me questioningly.

I met his stare and grinned. "What?"

"Interesting trick. How did you learn you could do that?" he asked.

I gave him a brief run-down on my old clubbing days and how I'd gone from practicing my shields to experimenting with other abilities.

"You're entirely self-taught. Impressive."

"Who would there be to learn from? I didn't know anyone else like me; still don't, really. All the books I read about telepathy were purely speculative or downright fluff and nonsense."

"True," he acknowledged. «_If your relatives were around, you could learn from them._»

Godric was wearing a bored expression, looking around as if we weren't having an unspoken conversation. I decided to do the same.

«_They haven't been around thus far,_» I thought. «_Kind of late for them to show up and decide they want a relationship with me._»

«_You are not interested in knowing them_?»

«_I want to know more about myself, about who and what I come from. But I'm not going to assume that we'll be best friends. As far as I'm concerned, they're still strangers._»

There was no response to that, so I continued. «_If there are bits of vampire lore that are true – and there are – then it's not an unsafe assumption that there are bits of fairy lore that are also true. They're no more or less dangerous than vampires, from what I've read._»

«_They are certainly not harmless,_» he thought.

«_You recognized the name I mentioned earlier tonight. Do you know him_?» Even if we weren't talking out loud, I didn't want to go into specifics.

«_We can speak of that later._»

Godric's face turned stony, and he looked at me with a solemn expression.

"Sookie, what are your intentions regarding my son?"

I burst out laughing. "Told you about that, did he? I haven't had enough alcohol to answer you entirely truthfully, but I think it's safe to say I'm pretty fond of him."

Thankfully, he chuckled. "So I heard. Several times."

Damn it. I would just have to suck it up; I knew Eric could practically hear a bat blinking a mile away, so there was nothing I could do to keep older ears from hearing anything that went on in the house. Celibacy was _not_ an option.

"I also heard that you had something you wanted to talk to me about," he said.

"Eric and I have been talking… well, we talked once about it. He thinks I'd make a good vampire."

He raised an eyebrow. "Pookie, I don't know you well enough to have an opinion one way or the other."

I'm not that insecure. "No, that's not what I wanted to ask about. Mostly, I'm just not sure if it's something that I'd want. Doesn't immortality get boring after a while?"

"You're worried that you'd get bored with _Eric_?" He looked incredulous.

"Not with Eric, no. I just always figured that living forever would get tedious. What keeps you going?"

Godric shrugged. "It varies. Some times, there was nothing. Other times, there were many things."

"What did you do when there was nothing?"

"I looked for something."

"Are you looking now?"

"Yes and no. There are things that I see that need doing, and I am capable of doing them. I feel strongly about them. But I am always looking for more, to some extent."

"The Fellowship stuff?" I asked.

"That is a small portion of it, but yes. The vampire-human relations situation is a powder keg waiting to blow. On both sides, the majorities are more inclined to fan the fires than they are to find an accord. Neither side is all that different in their extremes. Both are bloodthirsty; one perhaps more literally than the other."

I couldn't quite figure out what to say to that. As I was trying to come up with a response, Eric walked up to the booth and sat down next to me.

«_I can't tell you what to decide, Pookie. Most vampires never had the option of a decision. You have the luxury of choice, but that does not imply an obligation. Your relatives are something to consider, however._»

I snuggled up to Eric, who put his arm around me. «_I don't know how Gran and Jason would feel about it, but I know they want me to be happy._»

«_Not those relatives,_» he thought.

«_Oh._» Why would I need to consider my newly discovered relations in this matter? It couldn't be something personal: they didn't know me. It had to be something political, something about the relations between fairies and vampires. I added it to my ever-growing mental list of Things To Talk About Later.

Eric was watching the two of us closely. "Talking about me, I take it?"

Godric smiled. "We weren't speaking."

I tried to look innocent while Eric scowled at us. I don't think I did a good job of it.

«_Can you and Eric 'talk' this way_?» I asked.

Godric grinned. «_No, but he seems to think I can read his mind. I see no need to disillusion him on that point._»

I snickered, and Eric shot us both a look. I gave it right back to him.

"_Tell_ me how this is different from when you and Pam talk in Swedish about me," I challenged.

"Hon har rätt, du vet," Godric said.

Eric rolled his eyes and flicked my empty cup at Godric. I dropped the invisibility and watched two waitresses scramble over.

"Any objections to my getting drunk?" I asked Eric.

"I've never seen you drunk. Do you do anything particularly noteworthy while under the influence?"

"Depends on the drink." As I mentally ran through the list of which liquors had which effects on me, I decided to have fun with it. We gave our orders to the waitress, and I grinned in anticipation. Eric had no idea what he was in for.

The waitress came back with two fresh bloods and my order: three shots of tequila. The vampires both watched as I slammed each shot, one after the other.

"Lover, isn't it customary to use salt before and lime or lemon after each shot?"

"Bah. That's for sissies. Besides, I don't like lemons or limes." For reasons completely beyond my comprehension, there was an awkward moment of silence after I said that.

"Interesting," said Godric.

I shrugged. "Not really. At most of the clubs I used to go to, tequila was almost always done as a body shot. I had no one to do them with, and people looked at me funny when I did them by myself. So I learned to skip the salt because it felt awkward."

"Are you allergic to lemons?" Eric asked. Wait. Did he really ignore the fact that I'd mentioned body shots, just so he could ask me about lemons?

I shook my head. "I just don't like the taste of some citrus. Oranges are fine. Lemons and limes are just gross."

"But can you ingest them safely, Pookie?" Godric pressed.

"Pookie?" Eric looked at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't ask me. Yes, I _can_ eat them. I just don't like them. Why the fuss?"

Eric nodded at Godric, who then thought at me, «_Lemons are to fairies what silver is to vampires._»

«_Ah, so you were wondering if this was a particular weakness of mine. I gotcha._» I poked Eric. "See? It comes in useful. So hush."

Eric smirked at me, and the tequila was making me want to lick that expression right off of his face. He must have sensed what I was feeling through the blood connection we shared, because he gave me a very fangy grin.

"See, that's just not right. I'm supposed to be the mind-reader here, and I can't get a damn thing from you."

"You could."

I hiccuped. "How's that?"

"One more blood exchange, and we'd have a bond."

"That sounds like something to be discussed when I'm not on my way to being smashed."

He smiled. "Gladly."

I let my attention wander and dropped my shields to listen in on the crowd. Eric and Godric got into a discussion about vampire-human relations and the political ramifications of something or other. Normally I might participate in such a topic, but I was done with heavy thinking for the day. Hell, maybe even the week. I listened enough to know that I was in no position to add anything useful to the conversation.

Out of nowhere, I felt the urge to dance. Eric was sitting to my right, between me and the rest of the club. I swung my left leg over and moved to straddle his lap. He blinked as I swooped in for a kiss. Just as it was starting to get really heated, I broke off the kiss and hopped up, giggling.

"I'm going to go dance," I said, waggling my eyebrows at him. I turned around before he could respond, and I heard Godric laughing as I flounced off.

The small dance floor wasn't packed, but there were enough people getting their groove on for me to not feel overly self-conscious about doing the same. Most of the humans tended to think the music in Fangtasia was weird. It was an odd assortment of styles: dance, industrial, and the occasional cheesy vampire-related song. Not all of the dance music was in English, which I suspected was intended to appeal to the older or non-American vampires. I liked the variety.

I danced for a few songs, getting lost in the beat, the bass and the rhythm. There was no doubt in my mind that Eric was watching me, but I didn't look his way. With him, a little hard-to-get goes a long way. He enjoyed the hunt and the chase.

The music thus far had been pretty dance-heavy. It was completely unexpected when I heard the horns and beat of a Ska tune. Not a problem for me: I could shake my booty to anything. I could sense a vampire behind me, and I whirled around to see Pam dancing with me.

She'd never struck me as the Ska type, so I was a little confused. Maybe this was an olive branch of sorts? When I finally recognized the song playing as "She Has A Girlfriend Now" by Reel Big Fish, I realized just how wrong I was.

With some trepidation, I looked over at our booth. Eric was watching us a predatory stare. Pam was sneering triumphantly at him.

Oh, I was in _so_ much trouble.

Eric stood up and slowed stalked his way towards us. This was _so_ not happening out in the middle of the club. Pam winked at me and sped away. Bitch.

I knew I couldn't outrun him. Even if I could, I wanted to be caught – just not necessarily in such a public setting. Ignoring anyone behind me, I backed away slowly, matching his advancing pace, making my way towards his office. Any moment now, he would appear in front of me; I was holding my breath waiting for it. He seemed to sense what I was expecting and slowed his pace ever so slightly.

_Don't run, don't run, don't run, he'll chase if you run, don't run._

Aw, fuck: who was I kidding? He was going to chase anyway. I shot him a wicked grin, then turned and ran.

* * *

Translations, as always, are done with Google Translate. Don't throw too many things at me if I accidentally called someone's mother a goat: it wasn't intentional, I swear.

"Hon har rätt, du vet." – She's right, you know.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	33. A wee bit of fluff

A/N: I promise that I haven't forgotten about this story! Here's a wee bit of fluff for you; it picks up where the last chapter left off. I already have Ideas for the next plot bits, they just need to be outlined and written out.

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**Eric POV**

She thought she could run. Beautiful. I cheated, as she would say. When she got to my office door, I was right behind her. Right up against her. She was pressed against the door, her hand still on the doorknob. Her accelerated heartbeat was almost hypnotic; I loved that sound almost as much as the other noises she would soon be making.

I leaned down and brushed her hair away from her ear so that I could whisper into it. "Going somewhere, lover?"

She turned her head to look up at me. "I… Well, there was this big scary vampire who was chasing me."

I placed my hand over hers and turned the knob on the door. "Really? Perhaps you should give me a description of this vampire."

Gently, I pushed her into the office and closed the door behind us. I leaned up against it and turned her around as I pulled her closer. Sookie wrapped her arms around my neck and looked up at me, her eyes wide, her pupils dilated.

"Well, he was tall…"

"Hmn. That is not much to go on. What else can you tell me about him?"

"Oh, it was dark in the club, I couldn't see much." She wove her fingers through my hair and tugged slightly. Mmm. "He had long hair; blond, I think."

"Not very unusual, so far. I think I may need more information."

"He had the most intense blue eyes." She pulled on my hair, encouraging me to lean down to her. I brushed my lips against hers, just a whisper of a kiss.

She pouted. "This vampire, he looked _hungry_."

If I hadn't been before, I definitely was after hearing the way she emphasized that word. Sookie backed away and grabbed my hands to pull me along with her.

"A hungry vampire can be a dangerous vampire. You should be more careful."

She was leading me towards the couch. When we reached it, she pushed me down and sat straddling my thighs.

"You're right, I should be more careful. It's a good thing you were here, Sheriff."

"I am more than happy to take care of you," I said as I gripped her thighs. They were so warm, so inviting. She leaned back and reached behind her with both hands. Two thumps later, her shoes were on the floor.

Sookie sat back up and placed her hands on her own chest, just below her clavicles. Slowly, she ran her fingers down, down to her breasts, over her peaking nipples, down her stomach, bringing them together between her thighs.

"I think I do a fairly good job of _taking care_ of myself," she breathed. "But your assistance is always welcome."

I was more than happy to provide her with my assistance, as many times as she would let me. I'm a helpful vampire like that. Tequila seemed to have a greater effect on my lover's inhibitions than her usual gin and tonics; I may encourage her to drink it more often.

We didn't leave my office until two hours before dawn.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Eric had heard Godric leave the house just after sunset the next evening, at which point he grinned and informed me that I _would_ be screaming his name.

When we finally emerged from the bedroom an hour or two later, a very odd sight waited for us in the kitchen.

Godric was sitting at the table; aside from him being there at all, there was nothing too unusual about that. However, he was completely soaked from the waist up, and seemed to be playing with the towel in his lap.

"Evening, Godric. Blood?" I knew Eric wouldn't want one, and while Godric didn't really qualify as a guest anymore, I still felt compelled to be hospitable.

"Yes, thank you."

I got his blood heating in the microwave then fixed a bowl cereal for myself. Eric was leaning against the wall, looking at Godric skeptically.

"Where did you get it?" Eric asked.

"I found it when I was out walking, just now."

"Find what?" I asked. The towel looked like one of ours. My brains were still a little addled from this evening's wake up session. I was just glad my legs were still working.

Godric reached into the towel and pulled out the most adorable white kitten I'd ever seen. The poor thing looked a little disoriented, but it was still slightly damp. Godric must have bathed it. Since there was no shampoo or anything like that on the kitchen counter, I wondered what he'd used.

"Aww, it's so cute!" I cooed. "Is it a boy or girl?"

"You know, I hadn't thought to check." He cradled the kitten in his hands and gently rolled it over. "Looks like a female."

"Now she just needs a name," I said.

"Strange to have a cat when we don't really need them anymore," Eric said.

"Why would you need them?"

"Rats," Godric stated.

While I knew that farmers often had cats for the purpose of keeping the various rodents away from their crops, I wasn't sure why vampires would need them. I didn't imagine there were many vampire farmers, back in the day. Or even now, really.

I must have looked confused, because Eric clarified for me. "Rats are omnivorous. While a nibble or two might clear up quickly, having to regrow a missing finger or toe is quite painful, and much more difficult to explain."

Oh. _Ew_. I wrinkled my nose and didn't feel particularly hungry any more.

The kitten started fussing and mewing; the poor thing must have been starving. I got up and looked in the fridge. I wasn't sure if it was old enough for solid food, but we had some lunch meat she could try to eat. I grabbed a bag of thinly sliced ham and put it on the table.

Godric's eyes lit up and he nodded. "Good idea."

Since his hands were full with a fussy kitten, I got out a slice of ham and tore off a tiny piece. The kitten was so eager that she bit me in her excitement to get at the meat. She didn't bite hard enough to draw blood, but it still stung. At her small size, I imagined that she still had her milk teeth, and those would be tiny enough to be quite sharp.

I got the hint and started tearing up more pieces of ham, feeding them to her by hand.

"It's kind of odd to find a single kitten, especially one so young." There were plenty of feral cats in the woods around Gran's house, but the mothers were always so good about keeping their kittens with them.

"The mother was nowhere to be found. I looked."

"Poor thing. She's so little. What are you going to call her?" I asked Godric

"I hadn't thought of a name just yet," he replied.

"She has such beautiful blue eyes. I hope she keeps them."

Godric and Eric both looked at me like I'd lost my mind. It took me a minute to figure that out. I rolled my eyes when it finally dawned on me what they'd thought I was implying.

"No, I didn't mean like _that_. All kittens are born with blue eyes, but most of the time they change as the kitten grows up. Usually they turn green or yellow, but I've seen cats with orange eyes before."

"If she's going to be staying here, we'll need to get her some supplies," said Eric. "She'll also need her shots. There's a 24-hour pet store in town, they might have a veterinarian. We can start there."

A lot of stores had gone the 24-hour route after the Revelation, so it shouldn't have surprised me that there would be a pet store with those hours. I think I was more surprised by the idea of vampires owning pets at all. Well, pets of the non-human variety, anyway. It was one of those things that had just never occurred to me.

Godric needed a clean shirt, and Eric and I needed to be wearing something other than our pajamas. We all got changed and piled into my car, kitten and all. Eric drove, of course. He didn't hate it when I did the driving, he just didn't like being a passenger. In any case, he knew his way around town better than I did.

As we made our way to the pet store, Eric and I tossed out ideas for names. I suggested silly names like Snowball, Fluffy, and Booboo Bear – mostly to get a rise out of Eric. He was coming up with names like Fang, Killer, and Spike. He grumbled and changed his mind on that last one after I asked him if he'd gotten the idea from Buffy.

Godric vetoed all of our suggestions, but he'd been amused by the exchange.

When we walked into the pet store, I became aware of what an odd trio we were. Eric and I had the same blond hair and blue eyes, but he was almost a foot taller than me. He wasn't as pale as most vampires since I kept him so well fed. Neither of us looked old enough to have a child older than a toddler, but we both appeared older than Godric; he looked eighteen at the very oldest. Since he didn't need to feed all that much, his brown hair was a stark contrast to his white skin. It was fairly obvious that he was a vampire.

The youngest-looking of us was the oldest thing on the continent, and he was walking through a pet store cradling a kitten as if it were a baby. We must have been a strange sight, indeed.

It turned out that the store did have a veterinarian on duty, and there was no wait on account of the late hour. The kitten got her shots and was given a clean bill of health. I was surprised to find out she didn't even have worms of any kind.

Eric started to get grumpy when Godric refused to let him buy the kitten a black leather collar with chrome spikes on it. They compromised by selecting a simple red collar, instead. I wasn't sure how that was a compromise, but I was staying out of that one.

That kitten was getting seriously hooked up. By the time we were at the cashier, we had a large carpeted cat tree and a ludicrous amount of toys, along with all of the necessities: an automatic litter box and the recommended litter for it, kitten food, and several sets of bowls.

On our way out, we spotted a machine that would make personalized tags while we watched. Fancy.

"Don't we need a name, first?"

Godric smiled. "I already have a name for her."

"Since when?" I asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Since before we left the house, and I'm telling you now." Smart-ass.

Godric, being Godric, keyed in the information too fast for me to see what it was. I knew he let me catch the tag when it was finished, since he easily could have gotten to it first.

I'd never seen that particular name before, so I asked Godric about it as I fastened the tag to the collar we'd just purchased.

"Irina," he said, pronouncing it ear-_een_-uh. "It's a Slavic name with Greek origins. It means 'peace.'"

"It's pretty. I like it." It looked as if Eric didn't exactly share my sentiment. I think he was still sore about not being able to name it Killer.

When we got home, I got the first set of bowls set up in the kitchen. Godric had mentioned that until Irina got used to her new settings, we shouldn't leave her alone at during the day. This meant she'd most likely be staying in our room, since I was the only one who'd be able to wake up if she needed anything. I set aside another set of bowls for our bathroom and wondered if Eric would ever consider installing little cat-doors so Irina could come and go through the entire house. Kittens, as a general rule, can't work security panels and locked doors.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	34. You don't say

**Eric POV**

Another night at Fantasia, and I was being ignored because of a kitten. Irina was cute and all, but I did not appreciate Sookie's choosing to stay home with her – or rather, because of her. It was one of her off nights, though. I'd have her here with me tomorrow night. I tried to console myself with the fact that she would be there to greet me when I returned home.

That didn't mean I couldn't be a grumpy bitch about it.

I scrolled through my e-mails, most of which could be safely deleted. I was going to have to figure out a way to punish Pam for giving out my personal e-mail address. I stopped when I saw an e-mail from the Queen. When I opened it, it was exactly what I expected: a summons to the Royal Court in New Orleans. There was no explanation as to why; it merely stated that my presence was requested and that I should bring my "newest employee."

The meeting with the Queen could be about any number of things. Sophie-Anne could simply want to meet the only known telepath on the continent, who was a new and interesting State/Area asset, or she could be attempting to wheedle Sookie away from me. She could also be attempting to take her from me outright. Alternately, this could be about something more specific, perhaps an assignment that required Sookie's abilities.

I was about to pick up the phone to call the Court when Pam strode into my office. I glared at her.

"One might think that in all of your two hundred years, you could have learned how to knock."

"I know _how_," she said as she inspected her nails. "I just don't like doing it. Besides, it's not like I interrupted anything interesting, since Sookie's not here."

Bitch. "Was there a reason you came in here to bother me? Or are you just that bored?"

"Both. I'm always bored, and you're so entertaining. There's someone here to see you; she claims she has a business proposition."

I groaned. Not another one. Every other week someone got an idea as to how they could improve Fangtasia. More often than not it was a thinly veiled attempt at their own self-promotion. Garage bands that wanted a stage, aspiring starlets who must have gotten lost on their way to Hollywood… the list went on.

"Did she say what it was?" I asked.

"Of course not. Says she'll only speak with you."

"The hell she will," I grumbled. "I'm not falling for that again."

"So should I bring her in or toss her out on her face?"

"I think the phrase is 'toss her out on her ear,'" I corrected her.

Pam snickered. "I know it is. It's just so much more amusing when they land face-first."

I fucking love my child. "Bring her in. And bring Chow, as well."

She gave me a look. "Scared of a breather?"

"Fuck _you_ very much. This trend of people thinking that they're the answer to our imaginary woes needs to stop. If word gets out that a meeting with me equals a meeting with all of the bar's partners, it should weed out the people who are solely doing it for my attention."

"Ooh, we _are_ cranky tonight."

I flipped her off and went back focusing on my e-mail inbox. Pam left the room, returning a few minutes later with Chow and a rather unattractive woman.

The woman didn't look scared. She wasn't here for attention. She looked proud: head held high, shoulders squared. I could smell her fear, but her body language hid it well. I gestured for her to have a seat. Chow and Pam stood at either side of my desk, trying to appear casual. They failed.

The three of us simply waited. We stared at her, waiting for her to start sweating. The fidgeting started first; that was always Pam's favorite part. She hated it when they got to the sweating; she hated the smell of perspiration when it was brought about by fear. I had to admit that I rather liked it, in the right context. Then again, I always enjoyed the chase far more than Pam ever did; the catching was her favorite part.

I waited until I saw Pam's nostrils flare. "My associate tells me that you have a business proposition for us."

"More of a message, actually."

"Then you should probably tell us what it is."

She cleared her throat and swallowed. "Hallow, my coven mistress, has instructed me to inform you that if you do not forfeit half of your bar and its profits to her, then she will…"

"No," I interrupted.

"B-but I haven't even…"

I shook my head. "No."

She stared dumbly at me.

"You claimed to come here with a business proposition. Then you stated that you had a _message_. You started out with a lie. Why should I believe you now?"

Her gaping mouth reminded me of a fish, and she was starting to smell rather unpleasant. Pam would have a field day bitching about that.

When it was obvious that the woman was still trying to figure out a response, I spoke again.

"A messenger is not a negotiator. The message that you have proposed is unacceptable."

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Godric and I were playing with Irina in the living room. She was such an adorable kitten. I'd been surprised to find out from the vet that she was almost six months old. At her size, I would have thought that she was much younger than that. I'd pegged her age at maybe ten or twelve weeks, tops.

With no warning, Godric went still. His face was frozen in a mask of disbelief and horror.

"Godric?"

He didn't respond. Oh, that wasn't good. "Godric!"

Godric turned to me and in a hoarse voice, told me to stay in the house. Then he just vanished. I heard the door close after him and ran to it to make sure that the security panels were properly activated. If something was bad enough to upset Godric, then I sure as shit wasn't going to get involved.

For that matter, I wasn't even going to stay in the living room. I grabbed my cell phone, scooped up Irina, and went upstairs to the bedroom. If someone were going to be coming in after me, they'd have to go through multiple doors to do it. They might only serve as a deterrent, but if it gave me time to call in reinforcements, that'd be a good thing.

Once Irina and I were safely perched on the bed, I snapped my phone open and called Eric. He answered on the first ring, and neither of us bothered with pleasantries.

"Where's Godric?" Eric asked. He must have felt something.

"I don't know. He just freaked out and left. He told me to stay here."

"Where are you?"

"At the house. We were in the living room when he freaked out. After he left, I checked the security panels and now I'm holed up in the bedroom."

"Good. I can feel that Godric is near. Stay where you are. I will call you shortly."

I stupidly nodded as if he could see me through the phone. After hanging up, I tried to distract myself by playing with Irina, who was entirely oblivious to whatever it was that was going on around her. Comforters and sheets are fascinating things to a small kitten.

That was all well and good for her, but I was going slightly crazy.

Finally, the phone rang: it was Eric, calling to let me know that he and Godric were on their way home. When I started to ask what was going on, he said that all was well, but that we would talk more when they got to the house.

I stayed in the bedroom until the guys got back, just to be on the safe side. When I heard them come in the door, I decided to head downstairs.

"So, what happened?" I asked them.

«_Sookie, can you sense Eric at all_?» "I decided I wanted Eric at home this evening."

«_No, but we've only exchanged blood twice, and the last time's already wearing off a bit._» "Oh, okay. Not that I mind." I grinned at Eric.

He just looked perplexed. Godric and I had gotten better about mingling our inner and outer conversations. Eric could probably tell whenever we were having simultaneous discussions, but he never asked about them. If it had been anyone other than Godric, he would have pressed the issue.

"In other news," Eric said, "Sookie, you and I have a meeting with Queen Sophie-Anne tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night? Do we need to leave tonight? And what's the meeting about?" «_Godric, will you be coming with us_?»

«_Not if I can avoid it. I have never cared for the pomp of the Courts._»

"We will be leaving an hour or two after dark tomorrow night," Eric said. "The reason for the meeting was not specified."

"Okay," I said. "I'm getting the vibe that you two have things you need to discuss, so I'm going to go pack. Eric, what should I bring?"

"At least one formal gown, the rest can be casual and business casual."

Basically, a little bit of everything. That didn't sound promising. How long were we going to be there? "All right. I'll be upstairs if you need me."

I wasn't even aware I had any formal wear, but apparently Eric had snuck several evening gowns into my wardrobe at some point. It took some deliberation, but eventually I had a suitcase and a garment bag all packed with the necessary outfits. The more time passed, the more _off_ I felt. Something wasn't right. I wasn't sure if it was the strange events of the evening, or just nerves about meeting the Queen.

* * *

When I woke up next evening, there was another hour or so before sunset. I took the time to go over the outfits I'd selected the night before. After taking a shower, I packed my various toiletries. Eric woke up just as I was closing up my suitcase.

"God kväll, älskare."

From the look he was giving me, I didn't need an interpretation. I'd already showered, and I knew I'd need another one if I got within arm's reach of Eric after he'd just risen. Besides, I was still sore from last night. I'd gone to bed before he came upstairs, but hadn't minded at all when he woke me up. Even if he did keep me up until sunrise.

"None of your tricks, mister."

"Du har aldrig klagat på dem tidigare."

I scowled at him. "C'mon, give it up. I'm hungry. Let's go get breakfast."

"Jag är hungrig också. Kom tillbaka till sängen." He licked his lips.

"You know what it does to me when you speak in Swedish." It irritated me when I got the feeling he was talking about me in other languages; in the bedroom, it was hot.

He looked confused. "Du vill att jag ska tala svenska med dig?"

Ugh. He really wasn't playing fair. "Right. I'm going downstairs. You want me to heat you up a blood?"

Eric frowned and sat up in bed. "Nej, jag vill att du ska berätta för mig varför du ignorerar mig."

"I'll take that as a no," I said as I stomped out of the room. He could fix his own damn meal. I was already nervous about meeting the Queen. Maybe he was hoping to help ease my tensions, but he was going about it all wrong.

Godric entered just as I was dropping a bagel into the toaster.

"Are you upset about something?"

"Your child is being irritating this morning," I huffed.

He chuckled. "What's he doing this time?"

"He's only speaking Swedish to me. Probably just joking around, I know. But he wouldn't stop, and it was bothering me."

Once my bagel was nicely browned, I spread some cream cheese on it and sat down at the table to eat. Eric came into the room with wet hair. He nodded at Godric and ignored me. Jerk.

"How soon do you two have to leave?" Godric asked. He obviously wasn't about to get in the middle of whatever was going on between Eric and me.

"Amítukkulk í araf ða muttæ ðiv."

I looked at Godric, who appeared to be as confused as I was irritated.

«_Yeah. That's what he's been doing to me. What language was that? It doesn't sound like Swedish anymore._»

«_It's no language I recognize, and I know all of the ones that Eric speaks._»

Eric was leaning up against the counter, sipping a blood as he glared at the two of us.

I sighed. "Look, it was cute at first, but enough is enough. You've played your joke. Can you start speaking English now?"

That got a reaction, but not the one I was expecting. He was somewhere between pissed and puzzled.

"Uksne alat ða re gé."

Godric got up and left the room. Maybe he was just as aggravated as I was. I wanted to join him, but Eric would have followed us both at that point.

«_Sookie, get him to say something._»

"Eric, would you please tell me what's going on?"

"Ni två är skämta med mig."

«_Now what_?» I thought at Godric.

«_Repeat back to me what he said. Just try your best._»

«_"Nee tvoh er hemtah mit may?" What the hell_?»

«_That was Swedish. He thinks we're messing with him, not the other way around. I'm going to test something._»

Godric walked back into the room and leaned up against the wall. He looked casual with his hands in his pockets, but I knew he was up to something. "Eric, say something."

Eric rolled his eyes and sighed. "Ðavhttie."

Godric pulled a small tape recorder out of his pocket, rewound it a few seconds, and played the strange word that had just come out of Eric's mouth.

The bottle of blood shattered on the kitchen floor after it fell out of his hands.

* * *

A/N: I have purposely NOT included translations for what Eric's been saying – I want you all just as confused as everyone in the story. If you absolutely must look it up, here's what's up: Eric spoke plain Swedish to Sookie, but was speaking backwards Icelandic to Godric. And as always, I offer my humblest apologies if I've accidentally cast inappropriate aspersions on someone's family members.


	35. A wind named aphasia

A/N: Huge delay on this chapter, I know. Sorry for that. Writing "Don't Find Me" took a lot out of me, and between that and some other Life Stuff, it's taken me a while to get back into the swing of things over here. But no worries: I haven't abandoned this story, and don't plan to.

I completely forgot to mention this in the last pre/post-chapter note, but: Irina really _is_ just a kitten. Nothing overly fantastic or horrible is going to happen to or with her (at least as far as I'm aware). She's just a little bit of fluff, in every meaning of the word. ;)

* * *

**Sookie POV**

While I was sweeping up the glass from the kitchen floor, Godric called Pam. After some discussion in yet another language I didn't know, he handed Eric the phone and walked out of the room. It sounded like Eric was speaking Italian. He changed languages when Godric walked back in, and did it mid-sentence from the sound of it. Godric took the phone out of Eric's hands and left the room to talk to Pam in private.

I grabbed a pen and a pad of paper from the counter and gave it to Eric. He scribbled something on it and handed it back to me. Whereas his normal handwriting was quite legible, elegant even, the marks on the paper were complete and utter gibberish.

Next we tried our phones. He sent me a text message stating quite plainly: _Anslk cmklsd frr kmckl wmkdsd._

This was clearly not going anywhere.

Godric snapped his phone closed as he walked back in. I was distracted by that for a few seconds; I hadn't even known he had a cell phone. Maybe Eric got it for him when he moved here.

"I am going to ask you some questions, and I want you to nod or shake your head for each of them."

Eric nodded.

"Is my hair green?" Eric shook his head.

"Is your hair blond?" Eric nodded.

"Does Sookie have brown eyes?" Eric shook his head.

I knew what he was doing: Godric was setting a baseline, establishing that Eric could at least respond to simple yes or no questions. It was a relief to know that he could. I don't know what we would have done if he'd started moving his head in random directions.

"You can understand everything that is being said around you?" Nod.

"You believe yourself to be speaking in English?" Nod.

"Can you still feel our bond?" Another nod, this time accompanied by a confused look.

"Can you still feel Sookie?" More nodding.

Eric was looking more and more concerned. Godric wouldn't have asked about their bond without reason. As far as Eric could tell, everything was fine and dandy as far as that was concerned. No one could understand him; he couldn't really communicate with anyone on any level. Whatever had caused his inability to speak English was also blocking anyone from sensing his emotional state. I still had no idea what had caused this, but it was a nasty piece of work.

"Do you have any idea how this happened?" At that question, Eric growled and nodded slowly.

Something occurred to me. "Sorry to interrupt, but do you two know sign language?"

They didn't bother answering me, and Godric interpreted as Eric started signing. "Smoke bucket cheetah…?"

"Right," I said, "Guess that's not an option. Godric, lemme see that recorder for a minute?"

He handed it to me and I took a look at the small device. It was, of course, a fancy one. This little thing looked like it had all the possible features a person could ever want in a recorder. That meant it most likely belonged to Eric, since Godric wasn't big on gadgets.

I listened to that one word Eric had spoken a few times. Something about the sound of it was bothering me, other than the fact that it was in a language even Godric didn't know. For that matter, he didn't even seem to recognize it. I only spoke English and a fair bit of French, but I could at least recognize the sounds of a number of different languages. The idea of Godric not even _recognizing_ a particular language was intimidating, to say the least.

The answer to some kind of workaround had to be in this thing, unless Eric could miraculously be able to communicate via semaphore or Morse code. Godric probably knew those as well.

I wasn't even sure what button I'd pressed – damn thing had so many of them – but it sounded different the next time I played it back. Godric's head snapped in my direction.

"What did you just do?" he asked.

"Uh… I don't know? Lemme try again."

I played it again, and realized from the sound of it that I'd somehow managed to play it backwards. Judging by the smirk on his face, I knew that Godric understood it.

"What'd he say?" I asked.

"I'd asked him to say something. So he said, 'something' in either Icelandic or Old Norse... But he said it backwards."

I laughed. "So what you're saying is that other than his inability to communicate, he's still our smart-ass Eric."

Both of the vampires grinned and nodded at me. I wondered how long it would take for Pam to get the idea of making an Eric bobble-head toy to sell at Fangtasia. I sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to give her the idea. Their prank wars were strictly between the two of them, as far as I was concerned.

"Great!" I said. "Now all we have to do is figure out how to fix this before he and I see the Queen tonight."

Godric looked at me pointedly. "Eric will not be going with you to New Orleans."

"Oh, hell _and_ no. I am _not_ going by myself." Going to an entirely different city and meeting a vampire Queen? Doing that without any friendly assistance was not my idea of a good time – or a sane one. A little fear can be a healthy thing.

"Correct. I will be taking you. Pam will be here soon. You and I will leave in an hour." He directed his next words at Eric. "You will need to mark her before we go."

With a wink and a leer, Eric slung me over his shoulder and carried me to our bedroom. Once there, he wasted no time showing me that there was still one area where we could communicate just fine. Forty-five minutes later I had Eric's scent all over me, with a fresh set of bite marks on my neck to match.

* * *

Pam arrived while Eric was bringing our suitcases out to my car. Even if we didn't have to bring all of that stuff with us, I didn't relish the idea of several hours on the back of Godric's motorcycle. I'd never even been on the back of a bike before.

Godric had silently let me know that he would fill me in on what he'd found out during our long drive. I looked up the distance between Shreveport and New Orleans online, and if I were driving it would take us five hours to get there. If Godric drove anything like Eric did, then we'd be there in three. Even if he didn't drive like a bat out of hell, it didn't need to be said that he'd be behind the wheel. Vampires don't make good passengers, especially not with a human chauffeur. They're too impatient, and far better at glamouring any cop foolish enough to pull us over.

I went out to the car with Eric, hoping to catch another few moments alone with him before I had to leave. After stowing the luggage, he closed the trunk and lifted me up to sit on the back of the car. He leaned in towards me and rested his forehead against mine. I felt his cool fingers on my neck, tracing the spot where he'd left his marks. He didn't normally bite me in spots that could be publicly seen; judging by the look on his face, he wasn't happy about it.

"It's okay, honey," I said. "You can heal me up when I get back."

He nodded and kissed me. Even if any connection we had was blocked, he was still able to express himself physically. I could sense everything he felt for me in that kiss: tenderness, affection, desire, and protectiveness. It was simultaneously wonderful and humbling to be cared for by this incomprehensibly old and beautiful vampire.

"Eric, I lo…"

He interrupted me by placing a finger against my lips as he shook his head.

"Inte förrän jag kan säga det."

«_Godric, translate for me? "Inteh furren yog kan saya deet_?"»

«_It means we need to work on your pronunciation, but it translates as, "Not until I can say it."_»

I smiled at Eric and kissed him. He may want me to hold off on saying it, but I couldn't picture him complaining about me expressing it in other means. Pity we didn't have more time in which to do so.

Pam already knew what was going on when she got to the house, but Godric told her about the recorder trick while Eric and I were outside. She and Eric would have to experiment further; if Eric could speak English when he was alone in a room, then that would make things much easier. Perhaps a bit of a pain in the ass, but at least it might be a workaround until all of this got resolved.

Once we were on the road, Godric told me what he'd pieced together.

Last night, Eric had a meeting with a representative from a coven of witches that had recently relocated to Shreveport. They weren't witches of the friendly variety, and were hoping to exploit the area's supernatural community for protection money. Whoever didn't comply would find themselves plagued with any variety of curses, hexes, and other unpleasant magical effects.

A woman named Hallow headed this particular coven. Very little was known about her, but Pam was already working to find out more information to that end.

The meeting had not gone well. When Eric turned down the witch's offer, things got ugly. Chow had attacked the messenger, who had been booby-trapped with a spell. That spell landed on Eric, causing a magic-induced state of partial aphasia. It could have been far worse, but the spell seemed to be intended to get him out of the way, not to get rid of him entirely.

It was a nasty curse, but it didn't seem to take modern technology into account.

Eric didn't know what this meeting with the Queen was about, and Godric didn't let on whether or not he'd been able to figure it out. I knew that they both had their ideas about it, most of which they hadn't shared with me. If they hadn't been concerned about the whole thing, they would have sent me with Pam: Godric would have been far better equipped to handle what was going on with Eric.

Knowing that they were concerned about it was more than enough reason for me to share that feeling. They had my best interests in mind, and understood the political territory far better than I ever would. I had no reason to doubt either of them. So what if it all turned out to be paranoia on their part? Better safe than sorry, as far as I was concerned. Or better safe than… well, I had no idea what the alternatives were, in this case. Since I couldn't read vampire minds and was under contract with one of her most loyal Sheriffs, I wasn't a blatant threat to the Queen. I already knew that my ability to read human minds would make me a valuable asset.

If all that the Queen wanted was a meet and greet, she would have requested it sooner. After all, Eric had told her about me some time ago. This probably meant that she either wanted me to do something for her, or she wanted something from me. Hell, she might just want _me_, specifically. I hoped that the contract I had with Eric would keep me safe on that level. I had no desire to relocate or leave Eric, and no interest in getting that involved with vampire politics. If I suddenly became the Queen's telepath, it probably wasn't possible to get more involved than that.

I thought about all of this quietly as we drove. Godric may have been listening in, but if he was, he didn't react to anything I was thinking about. But there were other things I needed to know that were a bit more mundane.

"How long do you think we'll be staying?" I asked.

"That all depends on the Queen."

"Will we be staying with her, or at a hotel nearby?"

"I believe a hotel would be a better option. We have reservations with the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter."

Even I had heard about that place. "Isn't it supposed to be haunted?"

Godric looked over at me with a grin. "Are you afraid of ghosts, Pookie?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, even though he wasn't looking at me anymore. "Should I be?"

He shrugged. "Nah. I've stayed there before and never had any problems."

"You think it's just a rumor? You know, something to attract the tourists who come to New Orleans to see something spooky?"

"Perhaps. But ghosts aren't anything we will have to worry about on this trip. Do not let yourself get distracted from the real reasons of why we are going there."

I huffed. "I'd love to, but I don't really know them."

"You know we're going to meet Queen Sophie-Anne, and you know how to act around vampires. Follow my lead, do as I say, and do not go anywhere without me unless I tell you otherwise. When there is more that you need to know, I will tell you."

I thought about that for a few minutes. "I hate the circumstances, but it does work to our advantage that you're bringing me instead of Eric, since you can I can talk without speaking."

«_Indeed it does. And we will be doing a fair bit of it._»

«_Yeah, I figured as much. How much longer until we get there_?»

«_Plenty time for a nap, if that's what you're asking._»

«_It wasn't, but that's not a bad idea._»

I tilted the seat back and curled up. I needed to make sure I had all of my wits about me this evening. A little shut-eye wouldn't hurt, especially since it had already been one hell of a night.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	36. Divide and conquer

A/N: See? Told you I hadn't forgotten. Just waiting for my muse to get back from her (apparently extended) leave of absence. Flighty bitch. Shh. Don't tell her I called her that.

* * *

**Pam POV**

We should have known that attacking Hallow's messenger would have consequences. Just because they didn't take place immediately didn't mean they wouldn't occur at all. And here they were: happening.

I had noticed being unable to feel Eric through our bond, but it wouldn't be the first time he'd blocked it. It wasn't until Godric showed up at the club that I felt the slightest bit of concern. The fact that his face was locked down as tight as Fort Knox was enough to freak me out. Godric was one of the oldest things in this hemisphere; he didn't care whether or not he displayed his emotions. That others might think him weak for it was a dangerous assumption on their part, and one he often used to his advantage. Wily bastard.

Godric appeared calm when he asked me about my bond with Eric, but there was a slight undertone of urgency. I wouldn't have picked up on it if I didn't know him. He told me to not mention anything to anyone – especially Eric. Godric would be watching over his child, and was able to protect him better than I ever could.

The two of them went home and left me to manage Fangtasia for the night. I closed early because I could, and that run-in with the stupid witch left me too keyed up to deal politely with any fangbanger bullshit. Not that I was _ever_ really polite, but I knew I'd be rude, even for me. I made sure that all of the local vampires had gotten their chance to feed; as I saw it, that was the main reason for the club. I could give two shits about them, but if they went hungry and attacked any humans, then Eric and I would be the ones to clean up their messes. Fuck that. Keeping them fed wasn't done out of generosity, but selfish laziness.

If we had a coven of witches interested in taking a chunk out of us, they were going to be causing enough trouble without adding hungry vampires to the mix. I didn't think they'd be stupid enough to come back that same night, but I wasn't interested in hanging around to find out.

As Godric had explained it to me, Eric couldn't speak any language that was known to anyone in the room with him. When Godric himself was in the room, Eric would speak Icelandic – backwards. Sookie had managed to figure that out with a voice recorder. Fuck me sideways, that was good thinking on her part.

The timing on this was absolute shit. Eric was supposed to be taking Sookie to see Queen Sophie-Anne. Since he obviously wasn't able to go, Godric was going in his stead. His rights as a maker would override the Queen's summons, especially since they hadn't been an official summoning. It had been done through e-mail, for fuck's sake. If it were a big deal, she would have sent that simpering bastard Andre to collect them on the spot. I only hoped that bitch wouldn't press the issue.

With Godric and Sookie gone, that left me to deal with Eric's aphasiac ass. I would do anything for my maker, but that didn't mean I couldn't be a brat in his direction. He really did need to lighten up, or blow off some steam. I'd happily let him toss me around if it would help; it wasn't like he'd really hurt me.

I knew how to balance business and pleasure. Let the needling begin.

As soon as Godric and Sookie were on the road, I looked at Eric. "You don't think… Godric and Sookie…" I wiggled my hips for added effect.

He shook his head, but I felt like teasing him some more: he wasn't nearly riled enough. "I know he's not her type, but you _know_ how he is."

Eric growled and glared at me.

Really there was no telling Godric's type. Since he looked so young, that worked in his favor just as often as it worked against him. Still, he was just as much of an opportunist as Eric, if not more so.

"And he does tend to lean towards the exotic. Remember that empath he had for a while? Now _that_ was an interesting setup. She had quite the pain tolerance, if I recall correctly."

"Abbiamo più di cui preoccuparsi che la sua vita sessuale."

I had no idea what he'd said, but that didn't stop me. "He is partial to blondes, isn't he? I mean, even his new kitten is a blonde."

"Vaffanculo, Pam." Ooh, he even growled.

"You know what they say: abstinence makes the hard-on grow longer." I grinned. "He's abstained for what, 48 hours? Almost a record for him."

We both knew damn well that Godric had gone weeks without sex, if not months. He was old enough to contain any of his urges indefinitely.

Eric squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Pamela…"

It was never a good sign when he used my full name. I sighed. Time to get this witch shit sorted out.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I didn't wake up until we reached the Hotel Monteleone. I'd seen enough pictures to know what it looked like in daylight, but at night it was downright spooky.

When we got out of the car, a bellboy brought over a cart to help with the luggage. Godric handed the keys over to the valet, and in short order we were ushered into a blindingly beautiful lobby. The marble floors were tiled in a way that almost resembled plaid; randomly, my brain pulled up a recollection of a red-headed girl I'd heard at Fangtasia. She'd spent hours ogling Eric, but that wasn't unusual in the slightest. The thing that made her stick out was that in her mind, she'd called herself the Plaid Avenger. I was used to Eric playing up the crowd, and the poor girl had gone slightly out of her head when he winked at her.

It's odd what the brain brings up when you're half awake and in strange surroundings. I took some deep breaths to wake myself up a bit more and scanned the lobby with both my eyes and mind. There were several vampires and humans present, but no one seemed to be taking any special notice of me and Godric.

We passed an enormous grandfather clock on our way to the check in desk. It was so tall, I had to be several feet away from the thing to see its face without hurting my neck. I grinned when it occurred to me that it was Eric-sized.

It wasn't until we were almost at the front desk that I recognized a familiar brain pattern. I hadn't felt it in years, but I'd grown up with it. Even with that familiar sensation in my head, I had to look twice to confirm it.

"Hadley!" I almost shrieked.

"Oh my God… Sookie?" I could hear her mind whirring; she wanted to run out and hug me, but she couldn't leave her position from behind the counter. It came as something of a surprise. As much as we looked like sisters, with our similar features and figures, we'd never been all that close. We'd barely spoken in years, but I knew she kept in contact with Jason.

"What are you doing here, cousin?" I asked.

She grinned. "I'm masquerading as an employee. Geez, what do you _think_ I'm doing here, Sook? Question is: what are you doing here?"

"Oh…" I looked at Godric. "Um, I'm here on business. Godric, this is my cousin Hadley. Hadley, this is Godric, my… uh, Godric, what should I be calling you?"

"I believe _companion_ works well enough in this particular context," he answered.

Hadley looked at Godric and instantly her brain filled with all of the wrong ideas. Godric snickered, which made me wonder if he'd picked up on her very graphic mental images of him and me. That, in turn, made me wonder if he'd picked them up from her or gotten them second-hand from me. While I knew he could hear and read me, I didn't know why; I knew he couldn't read Eric, but he'd never really clarified if he could read all humans, or if it was just me.

I blushed, which seemed to remind Hadley of who and what she was dealing with. Instantly, she started singing show tunes in her head. At least it wasn't Vanilla Ice anymore; I'd never understood her crush on him.

"It's not like that," I said to my cousin, "But we do need to get checked in. I have no idea what kind of time schedule we're on."

"We have time enough for a small family reunion," Godric said, "But perhaps at a later time in our stay." «_You two can catch up during daylight hours, if it will not exhaust you. You need to keep up your energy to handle what we will be dealing with._»

«_Seems fair enough. It shouldn't take much time; she and I were never all that close. This is just unexpected. We haven't talked in years._»

Godric took over the conversation at that point, giving Hadley all of the information we needed to get our reservations squared away. Since the room had originally been reserved for Eric and me, it was a room with a single king-sized bed. My luck being what it was, of course there were no other available rooms. I did what I could to stifle my embarrassment. Godric and I were adults; hell, he was freaking ancient. We could sleep in the same bed without it being sexual, right?

Then again, Eric couldn't keep his hands off of me when we were in the same room. Shit. Maybe I could sleep on the couch?

When Godric and I headed up to the room, I realized I was going from frying pan to fire. I knew he wouldn't push himself on me, and I also knew that I wasn't interested in doing any pushing of my own. Even so, aside from Eric, the only other guy I'd ever shared a bed with was my brother, and that was when we were still in single digit ages.

Our accommodations turned out to be an executive suite; there was an additional room with a sofa, much to my relief. There was no time to discuss sleeping arrangements.

"We have about twenty minutes to spare," Godric said. "You should probably change and freshen up a bit."

"I have no idea what to wear. What would you suggest?"

Godric quickly unpacked my clothes and gave them a brief glance. He handed me one of the formal dresses: a light blue, floor length gown with spaghetti straps. I frowned, thinking I didn't have enough time to do my hair and face to match.

I hurried into the bathroom with the dress. I washed my face, applied a quick bit of make up, and pulled my hair into a French twist. Once I was all set, I stepped out and saw Godric scrutinizing my appearance.

"No, wear your hair down."

"Isn't that a little less formal? I asked.

"You will be tempting enough without showing your neck to the Queen."

That bugged me; it reminded me that I was about to meet a slew of strange vampires. I was in unfamiliar waters, and there were sharks aplenty; Godric would be my only life raft. I quickly pulled my hair down and brushed it into place.

"All right, let's do this." I said. We were getting short on time. I'd never met any royalty before – vampire or otherwise – and I didn't imagine they appreciated tardiness.

It wasn't until we were back in the elevator going down that I noticed Godric hadn't changed clothes.

"Shouldn't you be wearing something more formal as well?" He was dressed in his standard linen tunic and pants, which always looked like pajamas to me.

He shrugged. "You and I go by different rules." «_No more questioning me, Sookie. You cannot do that in front of any other vampires in New Orleans. Remember your place._»

Ouch. That seemed cold, but I knew what he was telling me, and I knew that it was for my own good. Time to put on the façade of the vampire's obedient pet. I let my arms hang loose at my sides and put a blank face on my slightly bowed head. As we left the elevator, I stayed just to the side and behind him. He'd be able to see me in his peripheral vision, just as Eric had when we were in Dallas.

As we passed through the lobby, I could tell Hadley was staring. _Oh my God, she looks so different. And she's acting like his pet now. I knew those marks on her neck had to be his. She tried to deny it, but she's gotten herself into some kind of mess. She can't know what these vampires are really like in New Orleans. Sookie, if you're listening, please be careful._

I flicked my eyes in her direction and tried to smile as subtly as possible. I couldn't see her reaction, but I heard her relieved thoughts. This wasn't the time to explain; it occurred to me that if she and I did get time to catch up, I might not want to give full disclosure on the situation. There was no way for me to know who she was friends with here, or what sort of information could be glamoured out of her. It gave me a twinge to have to keep my own cousin in the dark, but it was necessary.

The car was waiting for us outside; whether it had stayed there or been brought back, I wasn't sure. It didn't really matter. As the bellboy opened the car door and helped me into the car, I found myself thinking about other things.

_Can't read him, must be a vampire. But she's too tan to be one, why can't I read her? God, she has nice tits. I'd like to… oh shit, she's staring at me like she heard me. Did I say that out loud?_

I shook my head at him and his eyes got wide as dinner plates.

The bellboy closed the door a little hard, probably out of shock, and we were soon back on the road.

"Godric, we might have a complication. There's another telepath in the hotel."

* * *

Translations:

"Abbiamo più di cui preoccuparsi che la sua vita sessuale." - We have more to worry about than his sex life.

"Vaffanculo, Pam." - Fuck off, Pam.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	37. The waiting game

A/N: I hope y'all realize that two concurrent storylines means I can squeeze in two cliffies per chapter. I'll try to resist temptation, but I make no promises. Consider yourselves warned.

Oh, and just to clear something up – I didn't use Barry the Bellboy in Dallas because I couldn't squeeze him in anywhere that made sense. But I wanted there to be a telepathic bellboy in some hotel somewhere, so I whipped up a new character to stand in Barry's stead. There'll be some similarities, but… well, I don't want to give anything away. It'll be a while before he comes back into the story anyway. *wink*

* * *

**Sookie POV**

Godric laughed. "You just now picked up on the fact that the bellboy was a telepath? I knew what he was before I was out of the car."

I kept my face blank and my head down, just in case any vampires happened to see us through the car's windows. "Cut me some slack: I was barely awake. You're not worried about him?"

"I should have woken you sooner, but you can't let sleepiness be an excuse in New Orleans. His skills aren't as well-developed as yours. He couldn't tell that either of us was hearing him until you let on. Shouldn't have done that, by the way: he can't be glamoured any more than you can."

I sighed. "Okay, we'll handle that later, if at all. What do I need to know about tonight?"

"Queen Sophie-Anne may be calling this meeting for any of several reasons. We will not know until we get there. She likes to try to keep her subjects on their toes, but we have several advantages. Eric is younger than her, but I am not; this puts us in a unique position. I will silently keep you informed as we go. For now, all you need to know is to do exactly as I tell you, and remember your act."

That was it? I knew I was good at improvising, but I was really uncomfortable with the situation we were going to be in. I wasn't going to be able to read anyone around me, and that was how I'd always gotten by in the past. Granted, back then I hadn't known that there were people out there who weren't human.

"Will there be any other humans there?"

"There are humans who stay in the palace, but I do not know if any will be present while we are meeting with the Queen. Listen in to everything you can, whenever you have the opportunity. You never know what information might come in useful."

"Can you hear them as well? Or are you listening through me?"

He smirked and turned to wink at me. "Does it matter, so long as I hear it?"

I looked out the window and tried to not roll my eyes. Godric really enjoyed his mysteries. It made perfect sense, but it could be pretty damn irritating at times. It's not like anything he told me could be glamoured out of me.

«_Do not let on that you cannot be glamoured, Pookie. What they cannot get by glamour, they may be tempted to extract via physical means._»

Physical means? I gulped. «_Does that mean what I think it means?_»

«_They will not get their hands on you as long as I am around, but never forget what they are capable of; some of them rather enjoy torturing humans._»

Likewise, I should never forget that Godric could listen in on my thoughts without my being aware of it; I heard him snickering after I thought that.

We rode in silence until we reached the gates of a gorgeous mansion. I stayed in my standard pet pose – head bowed, face blank – while Godric spoke with the guard. After getting clearance to go in, we drove through the gates and up a long, trailing driveway. Standing at the door were several vampires: two in guard's uniforms, another one dressed as a valet.

Godric got out of the car and zipped around to my door, growling at the valet who offered me a hand. He obviously didn't want anyone else touching me. I took Godric's hand and let him help me out. The valet looked unperturbed by this, but if it was so normal then why had he even offered? It was the least of my concerns at the moment, but I filed it away for future reference.

There was another security checkpoint after we passed through the enormous double front doors. I hadn't brought a purse with me; there was nothing I needed to bring, and I didn't want to have to keep track of anything other than my own self. The guards seemed interested in me, but as far as I could tell, it was because of my scent and appearance.

«_Godric, is it safe to use my influence here? Just wondering if a little invisibility might be a good idea._»

«_Best not to. Just keep your head down and your mouth closed. Thank you for asking._»

We passed through security without any issues, and were escorted down a long hallway and into a waiting room. It was furnished with lovely velvet-covered couches. There was no one else here, but I figured if Eric had security cameras in his house, then they'd have something similar going on in every single room in this joint. I wouldn't be dropping my act anytime soon.

«_Sit next to me, Sookie, and put your hands in your lap,_» he thought at me as he walked over to a couch.

I did as Godric ordered. «_They'll keep us here for about ten minutes, just to see if we say or do anything interesting when we think no one's watching. There are cameras, of course._»

«_I thought as much. But wouldn't they figure that you'd know that sort of thing_?»

«_It's not _me_ that they're expecting to make a mistake._»

Shit. This was all on me. No pressure. I was thanking ever deity I could remember that I'd had a lifetime of practice at keeping a straight face. I used the time to scan the place for human minds. There were quite a few on the other side of the door we had yet to pass through. From what I heard, they were all pets in the Queen's human menagerie. Each of them seemed to have some special draw, some specific reason for being there.

There was a woman who was so bored, she was thinking she'd rather bash her head in with a spoon than sit there for another five minutes. That struck me as particularly creative on her part. Her brain seemed to have a different feel to it, like it was softer around the edges. The lines between her and the people around here were blurred.

«_That would be the Queen's empath,_» Godric thought.

«_Empath? You mean she can sense people's emotions_?»

«_Correct._»

It occurred to me that the Queen might want to add me to her collection. That wasn't a happy notion, but I didn't bother bringing it up with Godric. More than likely, it was something that he and Eric had both already considered. I suppressed a shudder and went back to reading the minds of the other humans in the next room.

Another girl was thinking of nothing but her shoe collection. That was her main reason for being here: it paid well, and she was using the money to buy more shoes. I had the feeling she and Pam would get along great.

There were about five other humans in there, so seven in total. The other five weren't anything interesting. One man was mentally dissecting the works of Ludwig Wittgenstein, another fellow was admiring the Queen's cleavage, and there was a woman who was pondering the mysteries of why socks disappear between the washer and dryer. The other two had been so thoroughly glamoured that their brains were thick and sludgy, like porridge. There was nothing useful in the slightest, unless I wanted to know the Queen's bra size.

Reading the available minds around me helped to pass the time, and soon enough the door to what I assumed were the Queen's meeting rooms opened. A huge guard stepped out and beckoned to us.

I waited for Godric to stand before I did and followed him into the next room. It was hard to resist the urge to take a deep breath to calm my nerves. This was it. This was the big show.

* * *

**Pam POV**

I got my laptop out and set it up on the kitchen table. Eric sat down and I got myself a blood while the computer was booting up. I wasn't the best computer person in the world, but I'd picked up a few tricks.

After connecting to the wireless network, I opened a browser and installed a plug-in for Italian spell-checking. After restarting the browser, I went to Google Translate and set it to translate from Italian to English.

"Let's give this a try. Talk to me, but not too quickly."

While he spoke, I took dictation as best as I could. The Italian spell-checker didn't auto-correct my mistakes, but it was easy to right-click on them and select the right words. There were a few comical errors, but overall it was an effective way to work around the curse. Whoever had come up with the spell really hadn't accounted for technology. Using this method, Eric and I were able to discuss a plan for dealing with these fuckbiscuit witches. This wouldn't work for more time-sensitive situations, but it was a decent place to start.

After going over some points with Eric, I called the owners of other local establishments that were owned by supes. Most of them had also been approached with similar threats and demands. This coven was new in town and their greed was making them sloppy. No one had heard of them until recently, and Fangtasia wasn't their only target. Unlike us, the other business owners had given in or tried to delay the extortion process.

I didn't give them any details about our situation. I was merely doing reconnaissance at this point.

I was placing the blame for this mess on Chow. If he hadn't attacked the messenger… well, there was no undoing what had been done. Once this was resolved, I was hoping Eric would give me permission to discuss tactics with Chow. And by "discuss tactics," I really meant, "chain him up in the basement and test out my new silver toys on his skin."

Once I had spoken with enough of the area supes to know that the witches were a thoroughly valid nuisance, I called a Were by the name of Alcide Herveaux. Thanks to his father's not-so-little gambling addiction, Alcide owed us big time. Why a Were would come to a vampire for financial assistance was beyond me, but it had been a good investment for us.

Alcide didn't like what I had to say, but he realized he had no choice. Not only was he obliged to help us, he recognized that the witches were just as much a threat to him. He was one of the few that hadn't been approached, but it was only a matter of time.

We decided to set up a meeting for the next evening, to be held at Fangtasia. Alcide suggested that he be the one to contact the rest of the pack, seeing as they'd be more likely to comply if the request came from him. Weres and vampires didn't get along, as a general rule.

Eric and I went over several different strategies until Alcide called back about an hour later. He had contacted the Shreveport Packmaster, a Were by the name of Colonel Flood. The PM had agreed to at least meet with us, but gave no guarantees of compliance.

Even though he really didn't like the idea, Eric agreed that we would use Sookie's telepathic abilities to bargain with the Weres if necessary. By the terms of her contract, she could veto some assignments; I didn't foresee that being an issue. She would go along if it was something that would help Eric.

I'd gotten a text message from Godric to let us know that he and Sookie had arrived safely in New Orleans. By the time I got off the phone with Alcide, Godric and Sookie would be meeting with the Queen. Once they were back at the hotel, he would call us with more information. If he texted us, regardless of the message, that meant they'd been held at Queen Sophie-Anne's estate.

All that was left to do, on either situation, was wait.

I fucking _hated_ waiting.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	38. Queen SophieAnne

A/N: I swear I haven't forgotten about this story. Been dealing with a particularly narsty case of writer's block – it's not that I can't write anything, it's more that I don't like anything that I write. Yeah, we're always our own worst critics, but... anyway. I'm not making any promises about how soon I'll be able to get the next chapter out. What with the holidays and some upcoming travel time... we'll see. Thank you SO much for your continued patience and the PMs & emails some of you have sent me. I really appreciate them. :)

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I kept my head down as Godric and I walked into the Queen's greeting room, only looking up enough to make sure I stayed in the proper position in relation to him.

«_Should I look at her or not?_» I asked him telepathically.

«_Not until she addresses you, but bow when I do, and maintain eye contact when speaking with her._»

We bowed almost as soon as we stopped walking, and I admired the lovely marble floors while I listened.

"I heard that you were in my state, Godric, but this is unexpected," the Queen said. Her voice had the timbre of a young woman, but there was a hard edge that attested to her age and position. "Why have you arrived instead of Northman?"

"My apologies if it has inconvenienced you, Majesty. It is at my behest that my child is unavailable, so I am here in his place."

"Most unusual. So _this_ is the infamous Sookie Stackhouse. Fascinating. I understand she already has a contract with Northman, which would imply that her abilities have already been tested."

"Correct on both points; Sookie is able to read humans completely, Weres with minor difficulties, and vampires not at all."

"What about demons and fairies?" the Queen asked.

"To the best of my knowledge, Sookie has yet to meet either of those races."

She hummed and paused for a moment. "She does appear to be well-trained; Northman _is_ good with his pets. There, see? Not even the slightest reaction to being called a pet. How delightful! Tell me, Sookie: are you enjoying working for Eric Northman?"

«_That's your cue, Pookie._»

I looked up and saw Queen Sophie-Anne smiling at me. I gave a small, polite smile as I answered her. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Her smile seemed to dim; it didn't fade entirely, but it somehow seemed less genuine. I got the impression that she was hoping for a different answer; I caught a stray thought from one of her subjects, the one that Godric had described as an empath: the girl could sense the Queen's emotions, and she'd also caught that her mistress wasn't pleased.

"Give us the room," the Queen ordered. Once the other humans and vampires had left the room, there were only four people left: Sophie-Anne, Godric, a blond vampire whose name I didn't know, and me.

"What I have to say is sensitive information, and must not leave this room," she said. "I have been approached for a union with Arkansas. I already know that they would be getting the better part of the bargain, but I want the telepath to sit in on the meetings. The advantage it would give me is impossible to ignore."

Godric nodded. "I believe this type of situation is already covered in the contract that Sookie has with my child. If your lawyer is present, we can have him look over the contents to verify this."

"Cataliades should already have a copy of it in his files. I will have him contact you to work out the details."

«_Godric, how long will we have to stay for this? We have to get back to Eric._»

He didn't take the time to respond to me silently. "When will your Majesty be requiring the telepath's services?"

"The meetings will begin in ten days," she answered. "You may return to Shreveport until then. Once the meetings have begun, I will require the telepath to remain on the premises for the duration."

I felt a mixture of relief and dread; we probably wouldn't make it back to Eric tonight, but we wouldn't be stuck here long. Then again, in just over a week I would be back in New Orleans for the sole purpose of listening in to hours of political negotiations. There was no telling how long something like that could go on, and I didn't think Godric was about to ask; he would be familiar with it, and would only have to ask for my benefit. I'd have to get it out of him later.

While I understood that the Queen had wanted to run me through her own tests and hoops, I was mildly irritated: we'd come all the way down to New Orleans for something that could have been settled over the phone in a matter of minutes. Godric and Sophie-Anne began speaking in French; whatever they were discussing, I clearly wasn't meant to understand it. I caught bits of it, but I was having trouble with the accent; it sounded like it was in an old or unusual dialect, and they were speaking very quickly.

From what little I could catch, I understood that she wanted to know more about me and my family. Godric claimed to not have the information she was looking for. After a few minutes of their discussion, we were promptly dismissed from the room.

I followed Godric's lead as I had done before, keeping my head down and staying slightly behind him.

«_What was all that about?_» I asked.

«_She wanted to know what you are. I told her that as far as we could determine, you were human. She didn't press the issue, but you can be quite certain she will do so when you come back._»

Oh, goody. Something to look forward to. On our way out, we passed through security just as easily as we'd done when we arrived. Once we were back in the car, I slumped down and breathed a sigh of relief.

«_There now, that wasn't so bad_,» Godric teased. «_You handled yourself quite well, Pookie_.»

«_Thanks, I guess? Not looking forward to coming back in ten days. We're not going to make it back to Shreveport tonight, are we?»_

«_No, unfortunately. When we get back to the hotel, I will call Pam to find out how things are going on their end. After that, there are some things we need to take care of._»

I was guessing he was referring to the other telepath we'd found at the hotel. I also wanted at least a few minutes to catch up with Hadley; if Gran and Jason found out that I'd seen her and hadn't been at least a little sociable, I'd never hear the end of it. For that matter, I wondered if they even knew she was here; Hadley tended to be flighty, and tended to forget to keep contact with us – not that we were much better about it.

Once we were back in our hotel room, I went into the bathroom with a change of clothes. Since I hadn't had time to shower when we got there, I took that opportunity to get cleaned up. Even though we'd driven down in my car, I felt grimy from traveling. After a good scrub, I changed into a pair of yoga pants and a plain t-shirt. Godric was stretched out on the bed, with his arms folded behind his head.

"What's the word?" I asked as I curled up on a nearby chair.

"Pam set up a meeting for tomorrow night, with some of the local Weres. We'll be back in time for it. She figured a way to communicate with Eric using her laptop; I'll let her explain it to you when we get back. I've called the front desk; your cousin will come up for a visit in about an hour, when her shift is over."

* * *

Hadley's visit was about what I expected it to be. She was nervous; Godric and I both caught on to the fact that she was more intimidated by me than she was by him. He found that mildly amusing; I tried to not let it bother me too much. She and I had never been all that close, but she was still part of my family.

From what she said and thought, I was able to get a fair bit of information about the other telepath. His name was Lucas Perkins, and he'd been working at the hotel longer than her. He mostly kept to himself; Hadley had her suspicions about him, which I didn't confirm one way or the other. She thought he was weird and slightly sketchy. Godric excused himself from the room, not bothering to offer any explanation.

After he left, Hadley starting asking questions about him; I kept my answers vague. As much as I wanted to be able to talk openly with her about my life, I knew that there were some things she was better off not knowing. If she didn't know something, I couldn't be glamoured out of her. Given how much vampires liked to gossip, I figured it was only a matter of time before it was common knowledge that Hadley was the cousin of a telepath. We might not be close, but I didn't want her getting in over her head with any vampires.

I wasn't sure if I was relieved or concerned to find out that while she wasn't tied to any particular vampire. Hadley was a regular blood donor. She never went through any formal channels, but she had been "sampled" many times: that was how she was paying off her student loans. Even though she didn't say it out loud, she was proud of the fact that vampires seemed to find her especially delicious. Whatever it was that made my own blood so tasty, it appeared to be a family trait. I wondered if Jason was the same way, but didn't expect he would be so eager to find out.

Godric returned and smirked when Hadley barely noticed. «_Does she ever stop for breath?_»

«_Most of this is nervous chatter_,» I thought back. «_She's never been comfortable around me._»

He interrupted my cousin's ramblings, telling her that he had things to discuss with me in private. As she left, we promised to keep in better touch, something I knew wasn't entirely likely to happen. I knew that next time I was in New Orleans, I'd be staying at the Queen's palace; from the sound of it, I wouldn't be allowed off the grounds until they let me go back home. Even if I wanted to see Hadley when I was there, it might not be a good idea to bring her so deeply into the world of vampire politics. She might have a field day, but I didn't want them knowing any more about me than was absolutely necessary.

Once Hadley was out of the room, I flopped down on the bed, feeling exhausted.

"I was able to find out more about Lucas," Godric stated. "His abilities aren't as well-developed as yours, but he seems less scrupulous with them."

"How so?"

"He uses them for financial gain."

I snorted, thinking about my contract with Eric. "So do I."

"Not in the same way. He listens in on business men for trade secrets, that type of thing."

My eyes widened. I couldn't lie and say that the thought had never occurred to me, but I could honestly say I wouldn't ever do that sort of thing. It just seemed like too dangerous an occupation, and that was coming from someone who worked for vampires. The figurative blood-suckers were more frightening to me than the literal ones.

"Does he smell different at all?" I asked.

Godric shook his head. "No. As far as I can tell, he's entirely human."

"Do you think he's any threat to us?"

"Not at the present time. We might put a bug in the Queen's ear, though. If she can have a telepath of her own, she'll ask less of you."

I nodded and yawned. "Why don't you get yourself some sleep?" Godric suggested. "I'll be up a few hours yet, but we'll be leaving at first dark tomorrow evening. There's no telling how busy the next few evenings will be."

I nodded again and got up long enough to get under the covers. Whatever the sleeping arrangements were, I was too tired to care. Godric switched off the lights, and I was soon fast asleep.

* * *

**Pam POV**

I hung up the phone and turned to Eric. He'd heard Godric's half of the conversation perfectly, so there was no need to tell him what was said.

"Fucking Sophie-Anne," I grumbled. "All she wanted was a meet and greet."

Eric let out a sigh of frustration. Whatever it was he wanted to say, it must not have been important enough for me to run through my little translation setup.

"I'm sure we didn't get the whole story, but they'll be here a few hours after sunset tomorrow. They should be back in time for the meeting."

Eric nodded absently, then stood up. I watched as he heated up two bloods in the microwave. "I could have gotten that, Eric."

He shrugged as he handed one of the bottles to me. I frowned; I hated seeing him like this, especially since there was nothing I could do to fix it at this exact moment. He rarely ever got into a funk; when he did, it was never too difficult to pry him out of it. In the pre-Sookie days, I would have simply brought him a fangbanger or three. He hadn't been this down since meeting her; no doubt she would be able to distract him, but she wasn't here. Fuck, he couldn't even call her.

Godric had told me that Sookie would be going back to New Orleans in just over a week, but didn't say why, or for how long she would be there. It was imperative that we get Eric back to normal before that happened.

I turned back to my laptop and opened a new browser window. "Eric, give me your card."

He gave me a look that was simultaneously irritated and disbelieving.

"Oh, get over it. This is something for Sookie, and you can write it off as a business expense. I can't believe you haven't done this yet."

Ignoring his curious expression, I surfed through some of my favorite technology sites. It didn't take me too long to find what I was looking for. Since Eric wasn't ponying up the plastic, I typed in the information from memory. He was a damn fool if he thought that I hadn't memorized those numbers years ago. It wasn't like I'd ever abuse them; it was helpful to know that kind of thing, just in case.

"There. I've had it shipped overnight, so it'll be at the club in a day or two. I ordered a netbook for Sookie. I would have gotten her a laptop, but I've noticed she hates carrying stuff with her. This thing's smaller and lighter than a laptop, but we can get her larger one if she wants. She can use it for e-mail, taking notes, all sorts of stuff. See, if you'd done this already, you'd be able to Skype with her and actually see her, even if you couldn't talk exactly."

Eric smiled. I wanted to hit him; he wasn't even bothering to talk at this point. My Google Translate workaround wasn't _that_ much of a pain in the ass. He was just in a mood.

I let him know that I was going to check his email, to see if there were any Sheriff-related things that needed to be taken care of. He nodded, got up, and left the room. I heard the television turn on, but stayed in the kitchen, figuring that if he'd wanted me to join him, he would have gestured or something.

For the next hour or so, I went through his inbox and made note of anything that required his attention. In that time, I'd gotten a call from the Area tracker; he'd been able to locate Hallow's whereabouts and said that he had acquired more intel on her. He knew better than to relay such things over the phone; he would be at the meeting with the Weres, we'd just get the information from him then.

Eric and I sat quietly in the living room until just before dawn. He seemed more thoughtful than depressed; the television was more for background noise than anything else. I wondered why he'd bothered. When he got up, he picked up Irina and carried her into his bedroom. I went off to my preferred guest room and turned in for the day.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	39. And now a word from the author

**Author POV**

I was minding my own business, reading some of my old favorite stories, when I felt a familiar presence in the room. I looked around. Nothing. Just me and the dogs. Odd. Or maybe not, since I live in a haunted house. Shrug.

I went back to reading.

There it was again. Hmn. Not a ghostie. Okay, maybe this is just a hormone thing. Stupid girly bits. Reading now. Shh, whatever you are.

Suddenly, something whapped me upside the back of my head, Gran-style.

"OW! What the _hell_?"

I looked up to see the Muse of _A Smarter Sookie_ looking at me with a peevish expression on her face. (For the sake of my fingers, I'll be referring to her as Mass. I can think of other names, but they're far less polite at the moment.)

"Bitch, where _you_ been?" I grumbled.

"Don't look at me like that. You're the one who got her knickers in a twist."

"What was I supposed to do? I got jumped by all these other muses for other stories, and _you_ were giving me the silent treatment."

"_You_ were being stubborn and cramping my style," she countered.

"Uh, how you figure?"

"Your insistence at trying to rewrite the entire damn series? I don't bloody well _think_ so. Even if you're that crazy, I'm not. It's a waste of my talents."

I snorted. "Don't get me wrong: I'm not disagreeing with you there. But it was your idea. And it's a good idea. I mean, taking the same basic story and seeing how all of the circumstances would change if the characters were smarter? You know I was all over that like white on rice."

"Yes, but when it became clear – to me, at least - that the story needed to become its own thing, you lost your balls."

I looked down at my chest and then back up at Mass. "Uh. I never had any balls. Female, remember? I mean, it's pretty obvious; a blind man couldn't miss these knockers."

"If you're going to get all logicky on me, I'll just be on my way." She stuck her nose in the air and sniffed haughtily.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "No. Stay. We haven't talked in ages. If you're going to disappear again, fine, but I don't want us to be on bad terms when you do."

"Right." She smiled. "Well, I think you've had the chance to stretch your legs a bit with this idea of going off the rails, as you used to put it. So now it's time to suck it up and have fun with me again."

"You've been gone a while. Do you even remember where we left off? I'm going to need to re-read a few chapters to even figure out where we left everything."

I opened a new tab in my web browser, intent on getting started on that so I could make some fresh notes. When Mass came up behind me, I thought she was going to try to stop me, for some odd reason. Instead, she rested a hand on the back of my chair (knowing full well how much that tends to irritate me) and read over my shoulder.

I opened Notepad and typed out some notes as I skimmed through the last few chapters of _A Smarter Sookie_:

* * *

**What's up in NOLA**:  
- Sookie and Godric have met up with Queen Sophie-Anne.  
- She wants Sookie's help with upcoming negotiations for possible union with Arkansas; is also curious about Sookie, but that's a side thing. For now.  
- These meetings are due to start in 10 story-days. Oy _and_ vey.  
- While in NOLA, Sookie and Godric see Hadley working as a receptionist in the hotel where they're staying. She's a regular blood donor; that's how she's paying off her student loans. Aside from that, she has little to no involvement in the vampire world. She and Sookie still don't quite get along, mostly because of Hadley's nervousness about her cousin's abilities.  
- They also meet up with a telepathic bellboy (NOT Barry!) named Lucas Perkins; he's less scrupulous with his abilities. Godric wants to throw him under Sophie-Anne's bus so she'll be less interested in Sookie.  
- Last chapter has Godric and Sookie headed back to Shreveport so that they can get back in time for the meeting that Pam has scheduled.

**What's up in Shreveport**:  
- Eric is still cursed with the inability to speak any language known to anyone within earshot; last chapter saw him somewhere between pensive and emo.  
- He speaks Swedish with Sookie, Italian with Pam, and backwards Icelandic with Godric.  
- Pam figured a way to communicate with him using vampire-fast typing skills, dictation, and Google Translate.  
- Pam scheduled a meeting with the local Weres, to be held at Fangtasia. She wants to see what kind of assistance can be rallied in dealing with Hallow.  
- Random bit: Pam ordered a netbook for Sookie, should be arriving in a story-day or two.

* * *

"Am I forgetting anything?" I asked, looking up from Notepad.

"Well, you haven't outlined where you're going to be taking all of this."

I grinned. "And I'm not going to."

Her brow furrowed. "Pardon?"

"Well, first off: I'm recording this conversation, and you know I don't do spoilers. Secondly, I only ever loosely outlined stuff before, and I rarely plan out my stories. You know this. They just... I dunno, they just happen."

She rolled her eyes. "Fair enough. So how are you going to wrap up the current bits?"

I shrugged. She blinked at me.

"Remember when you and I first started working together, and I was all giddy about it?" I asked.

She nodded and waited for me to proceed.

"In retrospect, I think I made some mistakes. There's a few things about the story that I don't really like. If I were going sit down at take on the same idea now, I'd do a lot of things differently. But! I don't have a time machine. If I can't go back and change my own past, then my stories don't get that miracle or privilege either."

"Fair enough, but what's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm getting there. Now, here's what I'm not sure about: the readers seemed to really like the idea of the same story, but written with smarter characters. I don't know if they'd come after me with torches and pitchforks if I suddenly take it off the rails."

"Hmn." She folded her arms and tapped her fingers against her upper arms. "I don't know what to tell you, there."

"On one hand, they might just really like the characters, and could get down with the idea of them going off and doing something new. On the other hand, they might prefer to see how the plots from the books would be different. You know, they might want to see me do what I said I was going to do from the beginning."

"Eleanor Roosevelt once said that the easiest recipe for failure was to try to please everyone, all the time."

"True. At the same time, I don't want to be that person who says one thing and does another."

"Are you writing this story for them, or for yourself?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but she placed a finger over my lips. "Think carefully before you answer, Sophie."

I frowned and sat back in my chair. "With the rest of my stories, I can answer that one pretty easily. With this one...? Sometimes I'm honestly not sure."

"At least you know that you don't know. So, what do you _want_ to do? If you took this story off the rails, what would you do with it?"

A particularly loud snort came out of my nose. Much louder than I'd intended. I popped an allergy tablet while I pondered that.

"In all honesty, I don't know. My favorite parts of this story were the fluffy bits. The chapters in between the plot. The infamous chicken stunt, then Eric and Pam accidentally-on-purpose blowing up Sookie's old car? Those just kind of _happened_. It was organic. It was fun. There was no playbook, no game plan. But even if I wanted to just do that, I still have to do something with these plot bits I've started.

"Here's the thing," I continued, "If I go by the books, this is destined to be a never-ending fic. That's more than a little intimidating. As much as I don't like when a story ends, I wouldn't hate there to be an ending for this one. If I want to go that route, I've got to start mixing some shit up."

"You could wrap up the story bits you've got, then just write as much fluff as your heart desires until you get the urge to go back to the books."

"Right, but then that's still a never-ending fic setup. You see what I'm saying?"

"Yep. So, here's what I've got in mind..."

She leaned forward and started whispering in my ear. As I listened, my smile grew. Yeah. I could work with that.

* * *

A/N: This is basically how it all went down, a few days. Okay, so maaaaaaaaybe I've embellished a few points here and there, but you get what I'm saying. I decided then and there that I wouldn't post anything until one of two things happened: 1) I managed to write five more chapters, OR 2) I managed to wrap up the story arc with Hallow. Well, one of those things happened as of about 15 minutes ago, and no, I'm not telling which. Because I'm all sorts of meaner like that.

So yes, there IS more A Smarter Sookie coming up. I haven't decided how often I'll be posting chapters, but it won't be more frequently than once a day.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	40. Back to our irregularly scheduled story

A/N: I've been thinking about posting updates every other day instead of every day, just to make sure I can keep ahead of posting schedule. I just finished up chapter 43 last night, and have the next few chapters after that roughly sketched out. But since the bit I posted yesterday was more of an extended A/N, I thought y'all might like to see some _actual content_.

Oh, and if you didn't read yesterday's update, here's why you should:  
- It gives a brief run-down of What's Going On, so you don't have to go back and re-read X number of chapters to get caught up (although if you want to, I'm not going to be mad atcha for it).  
- It gives you some insight into how mad as pants I really am. Honestly, you prolly want to read it for that alone. ;)

* * *

**Sookie POV**

When I woke up, it was not yet noon. I tended to go sleep around the same time as the rest of the vampires in my life, but I didn't sleep as long as they did. Since it was a light-tight room, the room was almost pitch black. The only light was coming from the glow of the clock that was on the nightstand on my side of the bed.

I flipped on the lamp and saw Godric resting on top of the covers on the other side of the bed. He was fully clothed, and a book lay tented on his chest; I didn't recognize the title, since it was something in Russian. Even though I knew he wouldn't move in his sleep, I picked up the book and used a piece of hotel stationery as a bookmark for him.

I knew from my experience with Eric that no amount of noise I could make would rouse Godric from his daytime rest, but I still felt the need to creep around as quietly as I could. As I showered, I considered my breakfast options.

None of the vampires would approve of me going out on my own in New Orleans, but I still wanted to go out for a walk. It was broad daylight, and we were right in the middle of the French Quarter. Somewhere, in a nearby cafe, there was a chicory coffee and some beignets with my name on them.

Besides, I knew I would go more than a little insane if I had to spend the next six hours or so in this hotel room, just waiting for Godric to wake up. I could only watch so much television before it got tedious, and I was so antsy to get back to Eric that I had to do something to keep myself busy.

I almost wished I hadn't met up with Hadley last night; if we'd saved our reunion for today, it would have given me something to do. After last night's awkward ramblings, I would gouge my own eyes out with a spork before I went through that again. I loved my cousin, but I don't know if I liked her; I wanted to. We didn't have much in common, other than blood. She was still afraid of me, that much was obvious. She knew me well enough to be certain of what I could do, but she didn't know me well enough to be aware that I tried to be respectful when it came to other people's thoughts.

Once I was clean and dressed, I sat down at the desk in the room and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. Before I went out, I wanted to have a game plan. I might not be overly familiar with the stores in the area, but if I knew what I wanted to do, I could be efficient when I went out. If I could make myself that much more useful with this little outing, perhaps my vampires wouldn't get their knickers knotted that I'd gone out in a strange town without an escort.

List completed and tucked into the back pocket of my jeans, I grabbed another piece of paper and left a note for Godric in case he woke before I got back. I made sure I had my cell phone, wallet and hotel room key, and then went on my way.

It was a nice sunny day out, so my hat and sunglasses weren't too conspicuous. I didn't expect to be recognized, but I wanted to be certain of that. Add a slight influence to keep people from noticing me, and I was all set.

My vampires were all aware of my influencing abilities; it was almost a variation on their glamour. What I did was less invasive, but tended to be directed at crowds rather than individuals. Eric and Godric could sense it whenever I was broadcasting, but Pam couldn't. We hadn't been able to figure out which was the rule and which was the exception, so my new personal rule was that I would only use it after dark if I was in Fangtasia.

In retrospect, I'd been pretty careless about it before I met Eric. I wasn't sure how I felt about using it in New Orleans, but since the sun was still up, I figured it was fairly safe. Granted, if the sun had already set, I wouldn't be walking around by myself in Vampire Central.

My first stop was a small but homey-looking cafe. I got the coffee and sweets that I'd been craving, sitting only as long as it took for me to eat my breakfast. While I was eating, I poked through the minds of the people around me to get a better idea of what else was in the area. By the time I was finished with my tasties, I knew exactly where I was headed.

It took me longer than I expected to find the shop I was looking for, but I did eventually find it. It was a ratty old storefront; the windows were obscured by heavy blue curtains. When I opened the door, it rang an old-style bell that hung just above the frame. I smiled at the sound of the bell and the scent of books both old and new.

The older woman behind the counter regarded me with curiosity; I'd dropped my influence before walking in, so she wouldn't think her door had opened for no apparent reason.

"Haven't seen you before, but you've come to the right place," she drawled.

"Is that so?" I asked. I'd kept my voice light, but something about her made me wary. I tried to listen in to her thoughts, just to be safe, and was surprised to find I couldn't get a read on her. She wasn't a Were: her thoughts weren't gnarled or oddly patterned, just... not readable. She wasn't a vampire, that much was blatantly obvious.

"You stay out, missy," she said, smiling. "My mind's my own."

Well _that_ was unexpected. Maybe coming here wasn't the best idea. I regarded her suspiciously while considering my best options. I could – and probably _should_ - just walk right back out and go straight to the hotel room.

"Didn't your grandmother ever tell you it was rude to hang out in doorways? Come in, child. I won't bite. I had a feeling you might come by today. Well, not you specifically; my sight's not that good. But I knew something like this would happen. I'm Octavia. And you are?"

"I'm not sure I should answer that. No offense, but..."

"But someone with your abilities has every right to be cautious. That's fine. You don't need to stay long. In fact, you just wait right there." She turned to face the back of the store. "Amelia! Is that scroll done yet?"

"Yes!" a voice called out from another room. "I finished it two hours ago, I told you that."

A woman about my age came out from the back room holding a rolled up piece of parchment. She smiled at me before turning back to Octavia, to whom she handed the scroll. The older woman took it, unrolled it and scanned her eyes over the paper.

"Very nicely done. Should do the trick." With that, she rolled it back up and tied a little purple ribbon around it. She put it into a paper bag along, along with some other seemingly random bits: a bundle of light green dried leaves, something that looked like a purple crystal, a length of braided cord, and piece of paper that she pulled from the printer and folded twice. She folded the top of the paper bag and stapled the edges closed, then held it out to me.

I blinked. This was just bizarre. "What is all of that?"

"Pest control, and the instructions on how to use it."

I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow at her in what was probably a very Eric-like fashion. "If you know why I came here, then you'll know why I'm highly suspicious of what's in that bag."

"Not only do I know exactly why you're here, I know who and what you're dealing with. Let me ask you this: why do you think Hallow went to Shreveport instead of New Orleans? If she'd come here with designs on the French Quarter, she'd get her ass handed to her before she got as close as Baton Rouge. She thought y'all were easy pickings."

Stunned. That was the word for what I was. Well, that and _speechless_.

The younger woman - I think her name was Amelia? - she grinned at me and spoke up. "Not all witches are bad. Hell, even though we can be downright bitches, most of us know better than to work with the darker stuff. People like Hallow and her brother are giving us a bad name. Octavia saw in her bowl that someone from Shreveport was coming to the store today, looking for help with their witch problem, so she had me whip up the scroll. She's better with spells, but her arthritis means I get to do the scribbling."

Okay, wow. Bowl? Scribbling? What? I blinked.

"I know you don't trust us, girl," Octavia said, "But you just tell your friend that I gave that to you. You can open it and look at everything before you leave town. If you don't believe or trust me, you can dump it in the garbage can just outside the front door."

"Right. Well, if this is witch stuff, don't you need to be a witch to do it?" I asked.

Octavia grinned. "To know how to do it, yes. That's why I gave you the instructions. Anyone with magic in them can make it work. You can do it, or if you'd rather, you can find a friendly local witch to do it for you. In any case, you should probably be on your way. You don't want to be late."

None of this was making any sense, but I took the bag from her before getting the hell out of the store. Vampires I could handle. Witches I wasn't too sure about.

I stopped by a convenience store next, picking up some snacks and energy drinks for the drive back. I knew I wouldn't be getting sleep anytime soon, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't falling over tired by the time we got back home.

By the time I got back to the hotel, Hadley was working at the front desk. She waved and smiled at me, and I went up to the desk to say hey. We chatted for a few minutes, and then I got an idea. When I asked about the possibility, she was more than happy to stash something for me: every room had its own locker in the hotel safe. With the witchy parcel safely tucked away, I felt much better. This way I could talk to Godric about it without the bag actually being in the room.

Godric woke up about fifteen minutes after I got back to the room. Apparently he was an early riser. He smiled when he saw me holding out a freshly warmed bottle of blood for him, but scowled when I got close enough to hand it to him.

"You went out."

"Only for an hour or two," I said, holding my hands up in protest. "And it _was _weird, and something _did_ happen, but I think it was a _good_ something."

He took a sip of his blood. "Explain."

I told him all about the strange store I'd been to. His eyes flashed in recognition when I mentioned the woman named Octavia.

"Where is the bag now?"

"I had Hadley lock it up in our locker in the hotel safe, just to be on the safe side."

Godric nodded and picked up the room phone to call the front desk. I listened as he requested that our safe's contents be brought to us. Within ten minutes, one of the hotel managers was at our door with the locked safe on a wheeled cart. I opened it with the key that my cousin had given me, and retrieved the paper bag before giving the key to the manager. He took it and closed the door behind him as he left.

I watched as Godric opened the bag and emptied the contents onto the bed. First he read the directions; something in them caused his eyes to flick up at me. I shrugged, having no idea what was even on the paper. He chuckled and put it back into the bag, moving on to the scroll next. He untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment so he could read that as well.

"I do not know Octavia, but I know _of_ her," he said as he put everything back. "From what I have heard, she is as trustworthy as a human witch can get.

"How did she know I was coming, I wonder. I couldn't read her mind; do you think she might be psychic?"

He shook his head. "No. You said that her assistant mentioned something about a bowl. She was most likely referring to a scrying bowl. You familiar with the concept?"

"Um, vaguely. Kind of like a crystal ball? Seeing the future, past, other presents, that kind of thing?"

"Something that like, sure. Have you eaten?"

I looked at the clock; sunset was only about an hour or two away. "Not since my breakfast, which I had just after noon or so."

"Then order something from room service now. Neither one of us will want to stop on the road, and you'll need to keep your energy up for tonight."

I grinned and let him know that I'd gotten snacks and drinks for the road, then tossed him something else from the bag of things I'd picked up from the convenience store.

"What's this?" he asked, turning the package over in his hands.

"It's a travel blood-warmer. It fits into the cup holder and plugs into the cigarette lighter. I figured that whether it's you or Eric coming here with me when I do those favors for the Queen, y'all might appreciate not having to drink cold blood on the drive down."

He smiled. "That was very thoughtful of you. I do not know which of us will be coming with you, but we may have to see about getting more of these."

"Pff. Already on it. I got one for my car, and one each for Pam and Eric's cars."

I took a few minutes to check out the menu for room service, and wound up ordering some jambalaya and fried okra. It wound up being not nearly as good as what Gran or I could have made, but it wasn't bad. Thinking about Gran made me realize that I probably wouldn't be able to join her and Jason for our usual Sunday dinners for a week or two. I really didn't like that, but I couldn't suppress a grin at the idea of bringing Godric along. I wondered if he and Gran would get along like she and Pam did, or if she would intimidate him like she seemed to do with Eric.

As soon as the sun was down, Godric and I left the hotel room. We checked out quickly, and the car was already waiting for us outside.

The drive back to Shreveport seemed to take forever, even though Godric was driving at Eric-like speeds. Even though I hadn't slept nearly as long as he had, there was no way I'd be able to sleep anytime soon. I'd be seeing my Eric again soon. I missed him, and we hadn't even been gone all that long. I wasn't sure what that said about me, but I also wasn't sure that I cared.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	41. I must be hearing things

**Sookie POV**

When Godric and I got back to Shreveport, we went straight to Fangtasia. We didn't want to waste time going back to the house first. I was hopped up on energy drinks and gummy worms, much to Godric's amusement. I was surprised that I hadn't been irritating the hell out of him; or if I was, he was doing a marvelous job at hiding it.

All of Fangtasia's lighted signs were off, and there was a giant CLOSED sign on the front door, but the parking lot was about half full. It looked like Pam had been able to wrangle up a fair number of locals for some help. Godric pulled into one of the reserved spots behind the club and I was nearly halfway out of the car before he'd had a chance to shut off the engine.

I knew we were in the middle of a complicated and potentially dangerous situation; it made me feel like maybe I shouldn't be so happy, but I couldn't help but be excited to see my sweetie again. Godric had been calm the entire drive. Even if he couldn't sense whether or not Eric was all right, he knew his child could take care of himself more than adequately.

During the ride back, I found myself envying that connection between Eric and his maker. I'd heard my vampires talk about blood bonds before, and I wondered if that was something that Eric and I should do. It wouldn't have done us any good during this whole witch business, since no one who had any kind of bond with Eric seemed to be able to feel their side of it. In any case, it wasn't like he and I could easily talk about it at the moment, and since I understood it to be a permanent thing, there was no way it was happening without discussion first. I'd meant to talk to Godric about blood bonds while we were out of town, but there had been so much else going on, I hadn't exactly had the opportunity.

If Eric had missed me half as much as I'd missed him, I didn't think I'd get a chance to ask Godric about _anything_ once we all got back to the house.

Godric caught up to me just as I was walking into Eric's office inside Fangtasia. My vampire sweetie had been sitting behind his desk, I think. I couldn't be sure, because about a half-second after he saw me, I found myself pressed up against the wall next to the door.

Yeah. He missed me. Like whoa.

I eagerly returned the mind-blowing kiss he was laying on me to assure him that the feeling had been entirely mutual. Only barely did I register that Pam and Godric were speaking in some other language.

"Eric, might I have your attention?" Godric asked, somewhat dryly.

Eric pulled away and grinned wickedly at me. He turned around and leaned back before I could move away; I was now pinned between the wall and his back. I stifled a giggle, knowing that this was a serious situation. As much as I wanted to rub myself all over him, we needed to restrain ourselves to some extent.

I couldn't see much around Eric's broad back and shoulders, but I heard Godric start to speak in another language. Normally that might have annoyed me, but I knew he was doing it because of the Weres in the building, not because of me. Eric couldn't say much in response, but I saw him nod or shake his head at various points.

« _Anything I need to know, Señor Cockblock?_ » I asked Godric. He snickered at me. Bastard.

« _I've already let Eric know that we will not be discussing our meeting with the Queen until we return to the house. Some of the Weres were running late, so they haven't started that meeting yet. Pam and I are going to head up this show. Remember that no one else knows of Eric's current condition; we will not be giving that information out until we have ascertained that the people here tonight will actually be assisting us. For now, you and Eric are going to stay in here. I know you can't hear Weres so well, but try to listen in; keep me informed as to what you find. Oh, and try to remain clothed, just in case you need to make an appearance._ »

With that, Pam and Godric left the room, closing the door behind them. Eric turned around and smiled at me.

"Hey, you," I said, reaching up to cup his cheek. "I missed you."

He gave me a small kiss, then scooped me up and carried me to the couch. He sat down, keeping me on his lap. I snuggled up against his chest and relished the feel of his strong arms around me. It felt strange, knowing that we couldn't really talk. The only positive thing I got from this was the reassurance that our relationship wasn't purely physical. It wasn't just about sex. Even though I was sitting right on top of him, I still missed him.

I wanted to be able to tell him about the meeting with Sophie-Anne. I wanted to tell him that I'd unexpectedly met up with my cousin, Hadley. I wanted to tell him about the strange bookstore, about Octavia and the things she'd given me to help us in our fight against Hallow.

The thing was, I _could_ tell him all of that. But not at the club, not with over a dozen very sensitive Were ears that might overhear. And even when we were back at the house, I could talk until my voice ran out... and he wouldn't be able to respond in any way I could easily understand. There'd be no insightful or snarky commentary. Just me talking, him listening and unable to vocally respond. It was beyond frustrating.

I didn't realize I'd started crying until I felt Eric's hands wiping the tears from my face. When he looked at me with concern and confusion, I gave him a crooked smile.

"I'm okay," I said. "This is just rough. I like being able to talk _with_ you. Talking _to_ you... it isn't the same. I know you can understand me just fine, but..."

He cut me off with a kiss. It wasn't the same passionate kiss he'd given me when I first walked into the office. This was more gentle, more soothing.

_Gods, Sookie, I love you so much. I wish I could tell you._

It startled me so badly, I jerked back and would have fallen off of his lap if he hadn't had such a firm hold on me. He didn't want me going anywhere, even if only accidentally. He looked at me, a different flavor of concern on his face. When he nodded his head in the direction of the meeting, I knew what he was asking. I gulped and shook my head, forgetting momentarily that I was perfectly capable of speech.

I repositioned myself on his lap so that I was straddling him. He was still eying me with concern. I smiled and put a finger on his lips. "Give me a minute. I need to try something."

I closed my eyes and tried to make it look like I was listening in to the meeting. Truth was, the minute Godric and Pam left the office, I'd dropped my shields. All that time, I had been listening to the multiple Were minds almost like a radio in the background. Occasionally a word or phrase would come through the fuzz and static. So far, there had been nothing overly interesting.

What I was actually doing was attempting to think at Eric, similar to the way Godric and I thought at each other when we communicated telepathically. I only hoped I was successful in keeping it from going to Godric as well.

« _Eric? I love you. Pull my hair or something if you can hear me._ »

I opened my eyes to see him scowling and looking very frustrated. Yeah, if he'd been able to catch that thought from me, there was no way he could have hidden his reaction.

With a sigh, I leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I think it was a fluke, but I _heard_ you. My reaction was because I was startled to hear you _at all_, not because of _what_ I heard. And if you still want me to wait to say it, I will."

* * *

**Eric POV**

She _heard_ me?

My first thought, when she nearly toppled off of my lap, was that she had picked up on something bad from the meeting that was occurring in the front half of Fangtasia. I hated not being able to communicate with her. I could talk to her until the sun came up, but it wouldn't do either of us any good. Fucking witches.

But... she heard me. How was that even possible? She couldn't read vampire minds; if she could, there would be no guaranteeing her safety. If she developed that ability beyond what she could do with Godric, the only way to keep her alive would be to turn her.

When a human drank vampire blood, it would enhance their senses; it had been some time since Sookie had taken any of mine, and she'd only ever had it twice. It was long enough ago that I didn't think this incident could be explained by that. I knew for a fact that she hadn't had any other vampire's blood while she was away: I would have been able to smell it. Never before had she mentioned catching thoughts from any vampires; this could have been, as she described it, a fluke.

Once this fucking curse was lifted, she and I would have to talk about a blood bond. It wouldn't have done us any good in this situation, since neither Godric nor Pam could feel me through the maker-child bonds that flowed between us. Most likely, the curse would have blocked a blood bond as well.

It wasn't until she sat back and looked me in the eye that it finally hit me _what_ exactly she'd heard.

I reached out to run a hand through her soft blonde hair, tugging it slightly. I felt something odd come from her, but it was only the barest hint of emotion. Her eyes widened, and she tilted her head as she looked at me, as if she was trying to hear a faint sound coming from another room. After a second, she closed her eyes and cursed softly.

"I love you so much, Sookie. When I can say it and have you understand me, I'm going to spend the entire night saying it as I show you just how much I mean it."

She gave me a sad smile; I knew she had no idea what I'd said, but I was hoping some of the emotion behind my words might have come through. I sighed and pulled her closer. I wanted nothing more than for the two of us to be alone in our room; I wouldn't need words there.

We sat like that for some time. I could tell she was still listening in to the meeting, as was I, albeit in a different fashion. All of the local Weres were on board with the idea of getting rid of Hallow's coven; some of them had not yet been approached, but recognized that it was only a matter of time. Of those who had, none of them had received the same special offer that I had gotten. There was talk of recruiting local witches who were not involved with Hallow; Sookie would be the one to help us weed through the potential allies there.

For now, the Weres would be doing their own reconnaissance, adding their trackers' intel to that of our own; Pam and Colonel Flood would be working together to compare the information. They would be focusing on searching during the sunlit hours, as we could only work at night. They were warned to not attempt to take on any of the coven's witches until we could strike _en masse_.

Some of the Weres were familiar with Pam, but none of them knew anything about Godric. From what I picked up, they seemed to assume that he was also my child; it wouldn't even be the hundredth time that mistake had been made. For now, that assumption worked in our favor: if they knew he was my maker, not the other way around, it might make me appear weak. Like I needed someone stronger than myself to step in and clean up the mess.

Appearances could be deceiving: Godric and I were both well aware of that. We had used it to our advantage countless times over the centuries. One of his favorite setups was to have me play the idiot barbarian while he was the feeble mastermind. Each side of the equation was only half-truth. We were both highly skilled warriors and strategists; he was better than I at both, but that was a given, seeing as he was twice my age.

It had been decades since he and I had fought together. I found myself itching for the opportunity to once again take up my sword at his side.

Fucking witches.

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	42. Reunion

A/N: What better way to show you all how much I adore you, than by sharing more writeybits? If you celebrate it, I hope you're having a happy Valentine's Day. If you don't, I hope you're having a wonderful Monday! Remember that no matter who you are, there's someone out there who's dreaming about meeting a person just like you.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

The meeting lasted almost two hours. My energy levels had seriously started to wane about halfway through that, but I stayed snuggled on Eric's lap while I listened in as best I could to the other minds in the club.

Some of the Weres had gotten their hackles up (only figuratively, I hoped) over some interpersonal or Pack-related dramas that weren't even related to the witch issues. Godric had done a decent job of corralling them and getting everyone back on track, but tensions were still running high. Pam and Godric weren't the only other vampires there: all of Eric's retinue was present. Since I couldn't hear their minds at all, and since I couldn't hear their voices through the walls, I knew I was missing a fair bit of information.

During the lulls, I tried to think naughty thoughts at Eric in the hopes that he would be able to hear them. If Godric had been catching any of those, he had yet to let me know. Of course, it'd be just like the sneaky little bastard to hold off on telling me about that until he could use it to poke fun at me.

As depressing and frustrating as this entire thing was, he remained fairly upbeat and positive. If he was upset, he wasn't giving any indications. He and Eric had been through far worse during their many years; in a few decades, this would probably be an amusing anecdote. Now that was a sobering notion: where would I be in a few decades?

Ugh. That was another conversation that would have to wait.

After the meeting was over and the front doors had been locked behind the last of the Weres, Pam and Godric returned to Eric's office. They gave us a run-down on the more important details that Eric or I might have missed.

I knew that we were working on fairly limited time: in just over a week, I would be expected to return to New Orleans to listen in on the Queen's negotiations with Arkansas. My head started hurting when I found myself wondering if Eric even _knew _about that part just yet. I wasn't sure if Godric would have mentioned that over the phone. There was no way in hell I'd be going back without an escort, and at this point, all of my vampires were firmly entrenched in _this_ mess.

Sure, I liked my life to be interesting, and I rarely backed down from a challenge, but making a pillow fort in our bedroom and not coming out for a week was starting to sound ridiculously attractive. Maybe when all of this was over, Eric and I could take a vacation.

Much to Pam's amusement, Eric was not inclined to let me go. I had to threaten to pee on him before he would let me up so that I could use the bathroom. He'd muttered something under his breath and leered at me; knowing him, it was probably something about that being as good excuse as any to get us both in the same shower. Pam almost seemed surprised to hear him say anything; I didn't like that. She was the one person he could just barely communicate with. He should have been damn near talking her ears off these past few days.

I'd never gotten sick enough to lose my voice, but I recognized that what Eric was going through had to be incredibly isolating. The Google Translate workaround that Pam had come up with wouldn't work for me or Godric. I couldn't type quickly enough to keep up with anyone's speech, and I sure as hell couldn't type Swedish. All those funny little characters? No. Not going to happen. All the spell-checkers in the world wouldn't do me a single lick of good. And even if Godric could type quickly... backwards Icelandic? I didn't see that happening, either. Pam really lucked out with him speaking Italian around her.

When I came back out of the bathroom, Godric was talking to Pam and Eric in English. With a wry grin, he let us know that no matter what else we had in mind for the rest of the evening, there were other things to be discussed when we returned to the house.

Car keys were traded. Godric and Pam rode back to the house in Eric's Corvette. Eric drove us back to the house in my Crown Vic. He looked questioningly at the blood-warmer cup holder, and while I didn't explain to him _why_ it would be helpful in the very near future, he seemed to appreciate the idea of it.

Once we were all back at the house, the vampires sat in the kitchen so I could be part of the conversation while I fixed myself something to eat. If I wasn't watching Eric all the time, I had no way to tell what his reactions were to any of what he was hearing. I knew he wouldn't like the idea of me going back to New Orleans, especially if it meant that he wouldn't be going with me.

Even if we managed to get him back on speaking terms with the rest of the world, I wasn't sure if the Queen would appreciate her best Sheriff being gone from his Area for however long those negotiations lasted. On the other hand, if things took a bad turn, she would have a damn good fighter by her side. I really hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

I had no idea when he'd found the time to do so, but Godric had already put a bug in the Queen's ear about there being another telepath in her Area. It was highly unlikely that they'd want to use Lucas for the union negotiations with Arkansas, seeing as they wouldn't have the time to check him out and test him. While the Queen herself didn't know me, Eric was her most loyal and trusted Sheriff, and I was his pet. It would be some time before they would trust another telepath over me.

Pam brought up an excellent point about Lucas, the other telepath: given how rare we were, how likely was it that there would be two in one state? It was entirely possible that he and I were related, somehow. She didn't seem to appreciate it when I pointed out that for a telepath, working around vampires was the only way to get some mental peace and quiet. If I hadn't been so leery of vampires before I met Eric, I might have considered moving to New Orleans just so that there would be less minds I could read.

Godric was quick to point out that Lucas smelled entirely human, which was actually a good thing: it meant that we could find out more about him without having to worry about interference or obstruction from fairy shenanigans.

It seemed like Godric was trying to wrap up the conversation, but he hadn't yet mentioned the strange package that Octavia had given me. I asked him telepathically about it, and he said that we would wait on that until we all rose the next evening. He said he had the items in his bag, and would be locking them up overnight. That concerned me, since he'd seemed fairly certain that none of them were harmful for us. His response to that was quite simply that he didn't want me trying anything on my own, while they were still out for the day.

I still didn't know what the hell the scroll was even for, and I had no desire to mess around with magic. I knew enough about it to know that I wouldn't have the slightest clue what I was doing. As such, I could honestly assure Godric that he didn't need to worry about me jumping the gun.

Just when I thought it was safe for Eric and I to escape to the relative privacy of our room, Godric stopped us.

"Sookie, was there something you wanted to tell me?"

I looked at him blankly; there was so much going on, I couldn't think of anything we hadn't already covered. "Godric, my brains are a pat of butter away from being fried and served up on toast. You're going to have to help me out with this one."

"You were projecting some rather... interesting thoughts during the meeting," he said, looking rather pointedly at Eric, who then turned to me with a frown.

Remembering what I'd been trying to send to Eric, I turned beet red and glared at Godric. "Okay, first off, you should have let me know you were picking up on that, you sneaky little..." I huffed at the impish expression on his face. "Those thoughts weren't intended for _you_."

Eric cleared his throat and waved his hand to indicate that I needed to clarify, and fast.

Turning to Godric, I explained what he'd missed. "Shortly after you and Pam left the office, I caught a stray thought from Eric. Seeing as how he's your child, I wondered if maybe I could think at him the way you and I do. But since you're the only person I've been able to do that with, I wasn't sure how to keep you from hearing it as well. Obviously, that didn't work out."

Looking back at Eric, I said, "And I'll be more than happy to fill you in on what I was thinking, but not with an audience. You catch my drift?"

With a growl, he slung me rather unceremoniously over his shoulder and high-tailed it to our room. I heard Pam make some crack to Godric about needing earplugs for the rest of the evening, but I couldn't have cared less.

When the bedroom door closed behind us, Eric pulled me down into his arms and kissed me like, well, like we hadn't seen each other in two very long and eventful nights.

After sitting in a car for hours and then listening to all of those minds in the club, I definitely felt like I could use a shower. He didn't object when I started leading him in the direction of the bathroom, especially since I didn't even try to break the kiss in the process.

I was surprised when Eric didn't ravish me the first chance he got. Oh, to be certain, his hands never left my skin for long. Neither of us seemed to be able to stop touching the other. We took a slow, leisurely shower. He soaped up every inch of my skin as carefully as if he were memorizing my pores. I was more than happy to return the favor; I loved the feel of him in my hands.

When we were as clean as we were going to get, he picked me up and carried me back to the bed, not even bothering with towels. That he remembered to turn the shower off was an accomplishment; I was beyond being able to care about such things.

Once we were in bed, it was obvious he had very firm ideas and destinations in mind. Looking at the clock, I saw that we had at least four or five more hours until sunrise. Plenty of time. I pushed him until he was lying on his back, then straddled his waist and dared him to move before I was done talking. I spent the next half-hour describing, in _very_ graphic detail, all of the thoughts and images I'd tried to project to him earlier.

By the time I was done, my poor vampire was almost in agony, fighting to stay still. When I started to sit up, I saw that he'd bitten his lip so hard that it had bled; I licked away the trail of blood that had slid down his jaw, then whispered against his lips that it was his turn. With a stream of words that could have been blessings or curses, I rather suddenly found myself under a nearly frantic Viking.

Everything after that was a blur for a good, long while.

When I woke, I realized it was one of those rare occasions when I almost slept as long as Eric. He'd really worn me out before falling into his daytime rest, looking pleased as punch. Even out cold, he still had a gentle smile on his face. Getting out of bed wasn't even in the top ten list of things I wanted to do at that moment, but my body was reminding me that I was still alive and had biological functions that couldn't be ignored.

Getting out of bed proved to be easier thought than done. One of these days, I was sure I'd wake up in a head-lock; extracting myself from Eric's arms was no small feat. I knew he liked waking up with me next to him, and if the world wasn't falling apart around us, I would have been glad to crawl right back into bed after going to the bathroom.

I was pleasantly surprised at how _not_ sore I was, considering our pre-dawn gymnastic sex antics. We'd gotten as creative as two people could get without the use of props. If anything, I was more stiff from barely being able to move a single inch after we'd both fallen asleep. After taking a nice hot shower, I slipped downstairs to scrounge up some breakfast.

I still wasn't used to cooking for just myself. If there had been a single other human around, I could have easily justified whipping up a feast of eggs, hash browns, and biscuits with sausage gravy. It seemed silly to make all of that, when I knew damn well I couldn't eat nearly half of it. That sort of food never tasted quite as good after being reheated.

In any case, I had an excess of nervous energy and it would be another hour or two before the rest of the household started getting up. To keep myself busy, I set about making all sorts of food that I could freeze. The next few days would probably be busy. Under normal circumstances, with no other humans around to remind me, it wasn't unusual for me to forget to eat. It was something Eric had nagged me about in the past; he had enough to focus on without having to worry about whether or not I was properly fed.

By the time I heard Godric padding into the kitchen on bare feet, I had almost a week's worth of meals packaged into single-serving sizes in zip-lock bags in both the fridge and the freezer. I might get sick of green bean casserole, meatloaf, and boiled eggs, but I sure wouldn't be going hungry.

"You've been busy, Pookie."

I looked around; I'd been cleaning up after myself as I made all that food, so there wasn't much visual evidence of what I'd been up to. No doubt he could smell everything I'd made. Sometimes I wondered if he could smell the penny I'd swallowed when I was six.

"Yep. I figured I wouldn't have time to cook this week, and Eric gets real tetchy if he thinks I'm not eating enough."

He nodded and then plunked a familiar brown paper bag on the middle of the table. I eyed it warily.

"Did you figure out what all that stuff's supposed to do?"

Godric shrugged. "No figuring necessary. Didn't Octavia tell you? It's written on the instructions."

"All she said was that it was 'pest control.' I saw her put everything into the bag, but I haven't actually looked at the scroll or the instructions."

He grinned broadly. "It's a spell to neutralize Hallow's magics."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	43. Calm before the storm

**Sookie POV**

I gaped at Godric. "What? Wait, that stuff can effectively undo her spells?"

I felt a knot of anger rise up in me: we had the means to de-curse Eric, and we hadn't done anything about it yet? Why the hell _not_?

"Yes and no. It's not permanent. It's more of a dampening spell, and it has a time limit. It will make it easier to find her, and when we go in after her, she won't be able to fight back quite as hard as she otherwise might. We still need her – or at least, her original spell – to undo what was done to Eric."

"Oh." I sighed. "How soon you think all of this is going to go down?"

Godric's eyes took on a flinty look almost made me want to hide under the table. "Not soon enough. I am looking forward to getting my hands on Hallow."

Anyone else, I might have told them to take a number; but right now, Godric looked madder than I'd ever seen him.

"Are we going to meet up with the Weres tonight?"

He tilted his head, and the anger fell from his face as if it had been a paper mask. "Pam is on the phone with one of them right now. They're letting her know what their day trackers have found out. Eric is in the shower; from the sound of things, they will both be downstairs around the same time."

I blinked and tried to hide how creeped out I was by the last few minutes. Just when I thought I was used to vampires, they just _had_ to go and do something really unnerving. Kept me on my toes, in any case.

On the plus side, the timing was just about perfect. I was just getting three bottles of blood out of the microwave when Eric and Pam walked into the kitchen. They sat down and looked at the paper bag, then at Godric.

He gestured to Pam. "You first. What have the Weres found?"

"The witches are more active during the day, so: quite a bit. They number anywhere between one and two dozen, and roughly half of them appear to be unwilling participants. In a fight, they'd probably panic and scatter, rather than stick around. Hallow and her brother, Mark is his name, hit up two more business owners. They're getting cocky: they didn't send a messenger. Also: they smell _funny_; fuck if I know what that means. We'd have a better idea of their home base, but they're masking it with magic."

"That's my cue," Godric said. "When we were in New Orleans, a certain naughty girl whose name rhymes with Cookie decided to go on a daytime jaunt all by her lonesome." Eric and Pam's heads snapped in my direction, and I glared right back at them. I might have stuck my tongue out, for good measure.

"This turned out to be rather fortuitous. She found her way to a shop run by a witch named Octavia. Long story short: she had foreseen Sookie's visit. By the time Sookie got there, the witch had already prepared the contents of that bag."

It was all I could do to keep from laughing at their reactions: Pam sat back abruptly as if the bag were about to bite her. Eric growled and glared at the bag as if it had just implied that his ancestors might have had improper relations with farm animals. He reached for it, but Godric was quicker; he snatched it up off the table before his child could grab it.

"I have already inspected the contents, and determined that they are not harmful to us. Quite the opposite. Here we have all of the things we need to temporarily dampen Hallow's magics. The effect will last roughly 36 hours, which should be more than enough time to scout out their location and launch an attack."

Pam snorted. "That's great and all, but don't you have to be a witch to do all that shit?"

"Not something this simple," was Godric's response. "You just need to have a touch of magic within you. Between the two of us, Sookie would be the safer option."

That was a showstopper. He seemed completely unfazed by the way the rest of us were staring at him.

"Uh, what? Why?" was about as eloquent a question as I could muster. It wasn't news to me that I'd be doing the spell, but why was he even a potential alternative? And why was I _safer_?

"Technically, I'm dead and you're not. Cheers." He raised his bottle of blood in salute and lowered it to take a sip.

Pam snorted. "Thank you for flying The Clue Airlines. We are now cruising at an altitude of way the fuck over my head. Care to elaborate, _grandpa_?"

While I tried to recover from choking on my coffee, Godric explained that most witch-based magic worked with life energies. He said that he and I both had the essential spark of magic within us, but since I was still alive, mine was more compatible with the spell.

I was relieved to note that Pam and Eric seemed just as perplexed as I felt. If anything, they looked more stunned than baffled. I could sense a hundred questions lurking behind Eric's eyes. Whatever revelation he'd just had, he wasn't taking it well. I got up and made him scoot back in his chair so I could perch on his lap; I knew the close contact would comfort him, but he also looked as if he was about to get up and start hitting things.

"I don't need to tell you that none of this ever leaves this house," Godric warned, directing that more at me.

"I might be insulted by that if I had any idea as to what everyone else is reacting to," I huffed.

"Sookie, Godric just told us that he's at least part fae. Or was, when he was still alive." Pam said through clenched teeth.

Maybe that should have knocked me for a loop. Or perhaps it should have had a stronger impact than it did. It sure seemed to be doing a number on Pam and Eric. I heaved out a frustrated sigh and stood up, gathering empty plates and bottles.

"Okay. So what?"

I heard the scrape of a chair behind me and turned to see Eric looking at me like I'd just sprouted wings.

And there went the last bit of my patience. They wanted to gape at me, I'd give them a damn good reason.

"Uh, forgive me for being callous here," I said, "But does that really change anything? The Godric who is currently sitting at the table and smirking at me is the same _fucking_ Godric who tried to get me into trouble with my vampire last night. Fucking prankster fairies. Unless it's going to be some kind of advantage or disadvantage in clearing up this witch bullshit, I fail to see why we're wasting time discussing it. So. Godric. The spell: when, where, and how?"

I folded my arms and leaned against the counter.

"Well put, Pookie." He reached into the bag and handed me the piece of paper with the instructions. "That's what you'll need to do. We can't do any of it until we have something that belonged to Hallow; if she shed a single hair when she was visiting the Were businesses today, that will suffice. _Where_ is less important, but the closer we can get to her, the better."

I nodded. "Pam, get back on the phone with those Weres. Ask about the hair; failing that, maybe they left a piece of paper or something else behind."

To my surprise, she did it without a single syllable of snark. I turned back around and resumed washing my dishes. In all honesty, I wasn't sure why I was so irritated; Eric and Pam hadn't been able to explain their reactions to what they'd found out. It could simply be that they were upset for only just now finding out something that they felt was important about Godric.

Other than what I'd read in various stories, my knowledge of fairies was quite limited. My telepathy could have come from my fairy heritage, but Eric had explained to me that it wasn't a race-specific trait. It was the fairy blood running through my veins that explained a number of other things about me, though: my one-time teleporting act, back when we'd gone to get Godric away from the Fellowship "church" in Dallas; my ability to influence people; and every vampire's favorite thing about me: the scent and taste of my blood.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Godric's admission had other implications.

« _Were you a telepath when you were still alive?_ » I asked him silently.

« _No. Don't ask me to explain how we can converse like this; I can only make guesses as to how or why. I don't have all the answers._ »

« _Be that as it may, I think you ought to do something about damage control. I don't have to be able to read Eric's mind to know that he's upset right now._ »

He didn't respond, but I heard him stand up; when he left the room, Eric followed. Pam came back into the room just as I was turning around to dry my hands on a dish towel.

"Where'd they go?" she asked, as if she couldn't tell where they were. She really wanted to know what had happened after she'd left the room; I ignored that, finding myself in too short a temper.

"What did the Weres say?"

"They were able to find some stray hairs that matched Hallow's coloration; they've got a tracker headed over to see if it has her scent on it as well."

"Good. Look, I don't pretend to understand why Godric didn't tell either of you about his fae stuff before, but I'm also not going to pretend to understand why either of you are freaking out over it. We have bigger fish to fry right now. He doesn't owe either of you any explanation, but if you're gonna get pissy about it, I'm gonna need for you to back-burner that shit for now. Let me know _right now_ if any of what I just said wasn't entirely clear."

Pam blinked, gulped, and shook her head.

"Super. Let the boys know I'm going to go put on something other than pajamas."

I stomped back up to the bedroom and tried to get a handle on my irritation as I grabbed some clothes.

« _Pookie, can I just say that I've never seen Pam so brilliantly cowed by a human?_ »

« _Not now, Godric. You've got a rant coming your way as well, but I'll hold off until this is all settled._ »

Just as I was shoving my feet through the legs of a pair of jeans, Eric walked in looking sheepish.

"I won't gave you the lecture I just gave Pam, because you're not in a position to defend yourself. But can we just focus, here?"

He nodded and sat down on the bed, watching me. He raised his eyebrows; I knew him so well, I could almost hear him asking me why I was upset.

"I'm frustrated, Eric. I miss the hell out of you, and the fact that you're right here makes it that much worse. Anything that doesn't bring you back to me is about as important as a dead flea on a dog I don't like. For now, I'm gonna take all this irritation and redirect it at some bitchy witches, and I'd really appreciate it everyone around me did the same."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him so that I was straddling his lap. Gently, he brushed some hair away from my forehead and kissed my nose. I sighed and leaned into him, wishing I felt half as strong on the inside as he did on the outside. He mumbled something in Swedish; I had no idea what he was saying, but it felt soothing.

"Don't you worry," I said softly. "Any energy I have left over at the end of the night, it's got your name all over it."

He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. After a few minutes, I sighed, stood up and grabbed his hand.

"C'mon. Let's go find out what we're doing next."

* * *

Eric and I got downstairs just in time to see Godric and Pam getting ready to head out. They let us know that they were going to meet up with the Weres; our presence was not required for this little jaunt, but Godric emphasized that until all of this was resolved, none of us was to go anywhere alone. He made sure to look at me rather pointedly when he said that, and I took the hint.

Feeling the need to take things down a notch, I pulled Eric into the living room and popped some random movie on the television. We snuggled up on the couch, and Irina wandered over and curled up between us. She was such an adorable kitty, and already quite independent. I could see the barest hint of color starting to show up on her face and paws, and wondered if she was actually some variety of Siamese cat.

Godric and Pam returned just as the movie was ending. He rather triumphantly held up what looked like an empty baggie, but said that there were a few of Hallow's hairs in there. He put it into the paper bag with the rest of the spell materials and then pulled out a rather large map.

It turned out to be a map of Shreveport. On it, there were several bright red dots. He explained that those dots were all places where Hallow might be hiding out. I still wasn't really familiar with the local roads and areas, but it looked like the locations weren't too spread out. In roughly the middle of the dots, there was a heavily wooded park. Godric smiled when I pointed it out and suggested that it might be a good location to do the spell.

On the way back to the house, Pam had gotten in touch with Colonel Flood; even though the Weres were on high alert, he said that it would be best if we waited another twenty-four hours to attack. He had little to no confidence in Octavia's spell, and said that he wanted more time to hone in on the witches' exact location. The vampires didn't exactly see eye to eye with him on waiting, but Godric pulled rank and said we would go along with that.

The four of us agreed that there was something Flood wasn't telling us, but my gut instinct said it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It made me wish that I'd gone along with them, so that I could have tried to pull it from his head.

Godric pulled rank again and insisted that Eric and I stay home while he and Pam went to Fangtasia for the evening. He silently let me know that no one was mad at anyone, but he figured that the best way to ensure that it stayed that way was to give Eric and I some private time outside of our bedroom. Besides, there was plenty of work to be caught up on at the club.

The two of them were on their way. Eric and I decided to relax in the living room. He stretched out on the couch, and I sprawled on top of him. No words were spoken. We didn't need them. It was nice to simply snuggle and share our space. I stared into Eric's eyes and tried to memorize every fleck of color in his irises. He frowned at the tear that slipped out from under my lashes and kissed it away. I wanted him to assure me that everything would be okay, but even if he could have said those words, there was no guarantee that they would have come up true.

As much as I wanted to rush headlong into the fight, to get the entire thing over with, I tried my best to relish the calm before the storm. There was no telling what tomorrow might bring.

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A/N: The good news is that the next chapter is already written. The bad news, one of my pre-readers actually cussed me out for the cliffie at the end of it. The worse news is that the chapter after that? Not written yet. Since there is (believe it or not) a limit to my wicked ways, I'm going to hold off posting chapter 44 until chapter 45 is written and ready to go. Hopefully, I'll be able to write it in the next day or two and y'all won't even notice the difference. But I figured I'd give you a heads up, just in case.

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Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	44. Vampires and witches and Weres, oh my!

A/N: Oh lookie! It's chapter 44! And, as promised, I wouldn't post this chapter until the next one was already done. So fret ye not, my lovelies. More's on the way. And it's a good more, too. Okay, maybe I'm not so much with the making sense this morning. *rubs eyes*

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Pam and Godric came back from Fangtasia looking happier than I'd seen then in a hot minute. They also looked surprised to see that Eric and I were still clothed, something I planned to remedy as soon as they explained exactly why they looked like a pair of kids on their first trip to Disneyland.

Colonel Flood had called with news: Shreveport wasn't the only place where Hallow and her brother had made enemies. For years they had been going from city to city, squeezing as much money out of the local supernatural communities as they could. When times got rough, they just moved to the next place. Flood had suspected that might have been the case: the witches were so smooth about what they'd been doing, it was obvious they'd done it before. He'd made some phone calls to old military buddies who were also Weres. From the sound of it, they'd starting fueling up a jet the minute they heard Hallow's name.

So, on top of the Shreveport vampires and Weres, we now had a number of Weres from Atlanta who were coming to join up with us. Flood had been surprised when they specifically requested that Hallow be captured instead of killed outright. Apparently, Eric wasn't the only one who needed a curse lifted. This was going to be a circus: we estimated that there were two dozen witches, and only half of those were likely to put up a fight. I almost felt bad for them: it was going to be raining vampires, cats, dogs, lions, tigers and bears, oh my!

Of course, hearing about the upcoming battle got Eric's engine cranked and raring to go. After making sure that there was no other news we needed to know, we disappeared to our room and found other things to do with his energy. Bless his unbeating heart, he did his best to wear me out before the dawn took him from me. I could tell he was looking forward to the fight, so I tried to hide my worries.

I woke up a mere five hours after sunrise. That was no good. A lot of crazy, intense stuff was going to go down tonight. While I was sure there'd be no small amount of adrenaline cruising through my system, I really needed to be well rested.

As I went to the bathroom, I decided that a hot bath would do the trick. While the water was filling the tub, I threw on one of Eric's t-shirts and went to the kitchen. After making myself a mug of hot milk with honey, I got back to the bathroom and found the tub perfectly filled. I'd forgotten to put in any bubble bath, but some vanilla bath oils did the trick nicely. I was making sure to cover all the bases.

I soaked in the bath until my fingers looked like prunes. Between the hot milk, the hot water, and the soothing smell, I was more than ready to go back to sleep. After drying off, I got into bed, finding it much easier to get back into Eric's arms than it had been to get out of them. Things like that made me wonder how much he really was aware of his surroundings when he was supposedly dead for the day.

I woke up to the sound and feel of a very pleased vampire; he really did know how to wake a girl up in the best ways possible, but I pretended to forget. It was more fun to let him remind me.

After not nearly enough time, we went downstairs and found Godric and Pam in the kitchen. Sometimes I had no idea why we bothered having any other rooms in the house; for people who didn't eat, they sure spent a lot of time in a room dedicated to that very purpose. Then again, the Dallas vampires had used their kitchen almost like an office; maybe they just considered it more of a meeting room than an eating room. They went over the battle plans while I fixed myself a quick bowl of cheesy grits.

I was the only one not dressed for battle. Godric had been very specific on my attire: I could wear whatever I wanted, so long as it was black jeans and a black long-sleeved t-shirt. With a black cap. Godric was wearing a loose pair of pants, no shirt. Eric was similarly outfitted. Pam was in a form-fitting leather get-up. I had expected them to be decked out in all manner of weapons, but when I asked about that, Pam snorted. Godric grinned, bared his teeth and flexed his hands into claws, stating that they didn't need any weapons that could be easily taken away. Well, all righty then.

He handed me a backpack; a quick inspection showed me that it contained all of the bits for Octavia's spell, a roll of duct tape, some rope, and a first aid kit.

Everyone had been given directions to the park, where we would be meeting up. My vampires and I made sure that we were the first to arrive: we wanted all of the humans gone from the area first, and the rest of the party didn't need to see how that was accomplished. My influencing abilities were a secret, and needed to remain that way.

Within half an hour, there were more vampires and Weres than I could easily count. From the thoughts I could hear, they were all wondering about me - the small, blonde, human girl who obviously wasn't going to be fighting. Everyone there had heightened senses, so there was no need for Godric to raise his voice to be heard. At his direction, they cleared a space in the middle of the crowd. That was my cue.

The spell was simple enough; I had no doubt that I could go through the motions. Ever since Godric handed me the instructions, I had taken them out every so often to look them over. They were as memorized as they were going to get.

I spread out a small lap blanket; the notes said that the color and material didn't matter. It was more for making sure nothing got lost or dirty. I placed the scroll in the middle of the cloth and knelt down in front of it. Taking a lighter from my pocket, I lit the bundle of dried leaves, then blew on them until they had embers instead of flames; it wasn't until I smelled the smoke that I realized it was some kind of sage. I handed the bundle to Godric, who then told everyone to pass it around and inhale a little of the smoke; there were so many people, it took a few minutes for the little bundle to come back to me.

After getting another whiff of the smoke, I handed the sage to Godric so that my hands would be free. I pulled the long strands of Hallow's hair out of the baggie and wrapped them around the purple crystal that Octavia had given me. That done, I let the crystal rest on my open palms, which I held a few inches over the scroll.

Then came the hard part: I had to close my eyes and "focus my energies" on locating Hallow.

I tried to not let my mind wander, but I found myself wondering how the hell I'd know if or when the spell was working. Everyone around me who needed to breathe was holding their breath in anticipation. At the sound of several gasps, I opened my eyes and looked a the crystal. It was glowing.

Well, fuck me sideways. Damn thing actually worked. I would have let out a sigh of relief if I hadn't been so afraid to move.

When I stood up, the crystal's glow flickered slightly. I glanced nervously at Godric, but he silently assured me that nothing I could do would break its spell. I winced when he put the smoldering sage out in his palm. While I stood there, he quickly gathered all of the other materials and stuffed them into my backpack, which I then put on.

There was some confusion, a fair bit of milling about, but after about twenty minutes of walking around with the crystal and checking the map, we had a fairly good idea of where we were headed. The crystal glowed more brightly when I was walking in the right direction.

Once our destination was announced, the crowd dispersed as people headed off to their cars. We agreed that we would spread out the parked vehicles so as to not draw too much human attention. It also meant that we could more easily approach the house from all sides.

What hadn't been really discussed was what I would be doing during the next part of things. There was no way I was going to just go back to the house.

After parking Pam's minivan a few blocks away, Eric picked me up and flew us closer to where Hallow was. The crystal was so bright, it almost hurt my eyes to look at it. It was the kind of light that made you think it should be hot to the touch, but the crystal was only as warm as my hands. I stuffed it in my pocket and looked around.

We were in the middle of pretty gross part of town. The buildings in the area were all run down; the only human minds I could sense were all coming from a single direction. The house that contained all of those minds was half boarded-up; the windows that weren't covered in wood on the outside were covered with newspaper on the inside. Even so, the paper was thin enough that I could tell there were lights on within the building.

The four of us kept to the shadows while we waited. We wouldn't have to wait too much longer; before leaving the park, Godric had announced that we would strike on the hour, and it was just a quarter 'til that.

I used the time to get a closer scan on the minds in the building, and that's when I noticed it.

Hallow and her brother weren't human. They were Weres of some sort. I silently mentioned that to Godric, who only responded with a nod. He'd already known. Perhaps that was what the trackers had meant when they'd said that the witches had smelled funny, but something still seemed off. The only thing I could figure was that they'd been wearing some kind of perfume to mask their scent.

At five minutes to the hour, Eric picked me up. I looked at him questioningly, but he only kissed me and then gave me an apologetic glance. Before I could even ask, we were in the air.

That _bastard_.

I mean, it made a kind of sense, but no one had asked me how I felt about trees. Or, more specifically, how I felt about being stuck in a tree, some twenty or thirty feet off the ground.

After making sure I was on a solid branch and had a good grip on the trunk, Eric got the rope and duct tape out of the backpack. I glared at him and whispered to him that if he even thought about using either of them on me, he had another thing coming. He scowled and cut off a length of rope, which he then tied around the tree trunk. He didn't fasten the other end to me in any way, but he tied a loop and then stuck my hand through it.

I didn't even want to know what the duct tape was for. Or where he planned on putting it until he needed it.

I was about to mentally say something to Godric, but he beat me to it; he let me know that he or Eric would come get me when the battle was over, but for now, my being up a tree really was for the best. It meant that I would be safe: he didn't think I would try to get down and join the fight, but he also knew that the witches couldn't get to me. Hell, they probably wouldn't even think to look for me – or anyone else – up in a tree.

He didn't respond when I asked him if witches couldn't cast spells on people in trees. I muttered profanities under my breath and cast an invisibility influence so that if any of the witches did make it outside, they wouldn't see me.

So there I sat, perched high in a tree, watching the outside of the house where a battle was about to take place.

And take place, it most certainly did.

From my unusual vantage point, I could see all of the Weres and vampires approaching from all directions. The Weres were the first ones in, naturally; after rushing through the doors, they shouted invitations to the vampires, who formed the second wave.

It was loud, which I was expecting. Lots of crashing, shouting, and screaming; I suspected there were squishier noises occurring, and I was thankful to be far enough away that I didn't have to hear them. Once or twice, there were some flashes of light; I had no idea what those were all about, but suspected they were something to do with magic. There was no accompanying bang to indicate that anyone was using a gun.

The fight felt like it went on for hours. Days, even. When the worst of the noises died down, I was shocked to check my watch and see that only fifteen minutes had passed. As slowly as that time had passed, the silence that followed was even worse. I was about to lose my damn mind, waiting for something to happen. There was a brief, muted scuffle of some sort, and then more silence.

That seemed like as good a time as any to pick up a nail-biting habit.

Pam was the first to come out of the house. She didn't even look my way. Bitch. She sped off in the direction of where we'd parked; a few minutes later, the minivan pulled up to the front of the house. She sat in the driver's seat while the car idled there.

More waiting. Fucking _hell_. Forget about my nails, I was about to start gnawing on the tree.

As much as I wanted to pester Godric, I also didn't want to distract him at any critical moments. So I waited, nervous, irritated and frustrated.

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Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	45. Which old witch?

A/N: I've gotten a slew of story ideas (some original, some other bizarre crossover ficbits, and some for Destiny Calling), so this story might be taking a break. Might not. I'm gonna stand back and let the muses duke it out. In any case, the next chapter for this story is already written; don't you fret, sweet peas. I won't be leaving you in the lurch again. There's still a fair bit of stuff going on here, and the end of the next chapter is as good a place to pause as I'm gonna get for a hot minute.

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**Sookie POV**

While I waited, because I had no other choice, being stuck up a tree and all, the front door finally opened. The first person out was Godric. He looked all around, and once he determined that the coast was clear, he gestured to someone standing inside. Eric came out next, holding a struggling Hallow. The witch had been bound and gagged with duct tape. It was even in her hair; I suspected that was Pam's doing.

Godric opened the back of the Pam's minivan and got in while Eric roughly dropped Hallow into the car. Colonel Flood and one of the Atlanta Weres were next out of the building; they hopped into the middle seats of the minivan. After he closed the back hatch, Eric thumped the car twice. Without any further fanfare, Pam drove off.

Then Eric just plain disappeared. Damn it, I hate it when he does that. He reappeared right in front of me, startling me so badly that I almost fell backwards. His strong arms were there to catch me. I hugged him tightly, then pulled back to get a good look at him. There was a fair amount of dirt on his bare chest, as well as some spatters of blood that were already starting to dry up. I couldn't tell how much of the blood was his, so I had to ask.

"I know you'd heal quickly if you were, but you're not injured, are you?"

He shook his head. I smiled at him, then drew back to give him a solid punch to the shoulder.

"That's for sticking me up a tree!" I growled.

He grinned, then pulled me into his arms. Very carefully, he flew us out of the tree's branches. Once we were clear, he started flying faster.

We landed at Fangtasia; no one else was there, but I knew from having discussed the plan with Godric that we would all reconvene here after the fight. Eric and I entered through the back door. After I walked in, he spun around, and picked my up by my waist; I wrapped myself around him as he carried me into his office and slammed the door shut.

"We probably don't have much time, Eric," I gasped.

With a sly smile, he set me down long enough to pull my jeans off at vampire speed. Before I could say "fuck a vampire," I was back up against the wall with my legs around his waist. Something about the idea of a quickie with Eric really got me going; he was more of a long-haul type of vampire. While he was unbuttoning his jeans, I slipped a hand between my legs. He growled at the sight, momentarily stilled by the desire to keep watching what I was doing.

"Don't let me stop you," I said, pulling my hand back up. I wanted it hard and fast, and I knew just how to get my vampire going. I stuck my fingers in my mouth and sucked them clean, then grabbed a handful of his hair to yank him towards me. As soon as he opened his mouth to mine, I ran the tip of my tongue against the point of one of his fangs. He moaned as he tasted the combination of me and my blood.

I gasped as he slid into me. With a few carefully chosen phrases whispered against his lips, it wasn't long before I came, pulling him over with me. With his head buried in my hair and his mouth mere inches from my neck, I realized that he hadn't even had time to bite me. I smiled, glowing and gloating all at once.

When I snickered at how quickly I'd gotten him to come, he turned his head and nipped my ear.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" I asked, taunting him. He growled and muttered something under his breath; even though I still couldn't understand him, it wasn't too difficult to figure which of the two he figured it to be.

Our timing couldn't have been better. I heard one of the club's doors open and close just as Eric set me back on my wobbly feet. He had his pants back up and fastened within seconds. I started to put my pants back on, then decided to clean up a bit before doing so. I wrapped my jeans lengthwise around my waist and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

The office was empty when I came back out.

« _What's the story, Godric?_ »

« _We have Hallow down in the basement. You stay up there, Pookie. You don't need to see any of this. » _

Having some idea of what "this" entailed, I was inclined to agree with Godric about my staying put. « _Anything I can do to help? Do you need me to try to read her mind?_ »

_« We considered that option, but I don't want to risk it. If you can get into her mind, she may well be able to use that mental connection to hurt you in ways that no one here could fix. If you're looking for something to keep yourself occupied for the rest of our time here tonight, there's a package that arrived for you earlier tonight. It should be somewhere around Eric's desk._ »

I walked behind Eric's desk and found a FedEx package with my name on the label, sent C/o Fangtasia. Oh ho? I grabbed a box cutter from Eric's supply drawer and made quick work of the outer packaging. Inside was a shiny, brand-spanking new netbook. Of course it _had_ to be red. For about a half-second, I felt nervous about opening it up. No one had mentioned getting this for me, but it _did_ have my name on it.

Bah. I knew my vampires. If this wasn't intended for me, they wouldn't have put my name on it. And if they needed another one, they'd just hop out to Best Buy. Within five minutes, I was looking around for a power outlet to start charging my new netbook.

Going through the first time setup bits kept me busy for almost an hour. This was a newer version of Windows than what we'd had at the library, but it wasn't too difficult to get used to it; I'd been using Eric's laptop every so often, and he always made sure he had the latest and greatest of everything, whether it was a laptop for him or a coffee maker for me.

Right when I was pondering whether or not to bug Godric for something as inconsequential as the wireless network's password, Pam walked into the office. She took one look at me, hunched over the laptop, and grinned. I smiled back, glad that there didn't seem to be any residual hard feelings from the previous night's outburst.

"How's it going down there?" I asked.

"Mm. Progress is being made, but I'm guessing you don't want more details than that."

I scrunched up my nose. "You'd be guessing correctly, for the most part."

"I just came up here for some extra tools, but I'll give you a quick update. Seems that Eric wasn't the only one who was cursed. Several of the Atlanta Weres were cursed as well. Naturally, Eric is our priority, but since the Weres came to our aid, we're going to do what we can to return the favor. Crazy bitch didn't even have the decency to use the same curse for everyone, so we've got our work cut out for us this evening."

Pam had been rifling through one of the storage cabinets that I thought had contained various office supplies. Given that she'd come up here looking for _tools_, I seriously didn't want to know what else was in that cabinet. With a triumphant "Aha!" she turned around and walked around the desk until she was standing behind me. Leaning over my shoulder, she pulled the netbook towards her and set it up so that it could connect to the wireless network. Without another word, she turned and left the office.

She wasn't being rude; she was just being efficient. That was Pam. She had the means to help her master, and from what I heard, getting people to "see things her way" was one of her specialties. Ugh. I was _so_ glad she was on my side.

I had some mixed feelings about what I figured was going on in the lower levels of Fangtasia. On one hand, a woman was probably being tortured. On the other hand, this woman had caused massive amounts of chaos and havoc in enough people's lives to fill a small town. While I cringed at the thought of what she would have to go through, she had to have _some_ idea of the fates she was tempting, messing with the supernatural community like she had.

Whether or not I liked it, the supernatural communities had their own forms of internal justice. I was effectively a "culture of one'" within that community; to the best of my knowledge, there were no other known telepaths who were actively a part of the internal goings-on. We'd only just found out about Lucas, but we had no reason to believe he was involved with any of his Area's vampires or Weres.

I wasn't kidding myself: I knew that if I barged in and started raising any objections, I would create bigger problems than anything I could resolve. I couldn't argue with Eric since he wasn't uncursed just yet. Pam wasn't really in charge, so arguing with her would be pointless. Godric and I could fuss at each other all night without speaking a word out loud, but I didn't really feel like he and I had the kind of relationship where I could get away with challenging him on this sort of thing. Hallow had fucked with his child, and he wanted his pound of flesh. Or his pint of blood, whichever.

Besides, just the other night I'd gotten a brief flash of what an angry Godric looked like, and I never wanted to be on the receiving end of _that_.

Right now there was nothing for me to do except sit and wait. If I had any moral issues with what was going on downstairs, then I could discuss them with Eric once he was able to talk again.

So I sat and tried to distract myself with my new computer.

Finally, at about three in the morning, I heard what sounded like a ragged but pleased group of vampires and Weres coming up the stairs. Since the door to the office was slightly open, I could hear Pam directing them to various bathrooms and sinks where they could wash up. Eric came into his office and went straight to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I didn't want to know. I heard him take a very quick shower, and when he emerged, he was smiling.

That smile was all he was wearing. I whipped my head around to make sure the office door was closed, and he laughed. He got out a clean pair of jeans and a Fangtasia t-shirt from his closet, and put them on while I ogled him. Once he was clothed, he pulled his chair back while I was still in it. He picked me up out of the chair, sat down, and set me down on his lap so that I was straddling him. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his around my waist.

I bit my lip and looked him in the eyes, almost afraid to ask if it was over yet.

He gave me a very fangy grin. "I missed you, lover."

With an excited squeal, I quickly closed the gap between us and kissed him for all I was worth. Things were just starting to really ramp up when I heard Pam snickering behind me. I groaned and reluctantly pulled away from my vampire. With a sigh, I scooted around on his lap so that I was sitting sideways, leaning against his chest with my head on his shoulder.

Pam opened the door to let in the rest of the vampires and Weres, then took a position standing slightly behind Eric, just off to the side. Godric hopped up and sat on Eric's desk with his legs crossed under him. Everyone else stood or took what seats were available; I was guessing that the higher ranked people in the crowd were the ones who were seated. Thankfully, we didn't have everyone here who'd participated in the earlier battle. The grunts had probably either gone home or found nearby hotels. These were just the head honchos or people with valuable information to share.

I lay against Eric's chest and enjoyed the rumbling sound of his voice. It was so comforting to hear him talking again, I was almost lulled to sleep by the sound of it.

My attention snapped back into focus when I heard my name being mentioned. They weren't talking to me, just yet; they were talking about me. There was some confusion as to what I was, since I'd performed the spell to help track down Hallow. Godric was quick to clarify that I was not a witch; after some discussion between Eric and Godric in a language that sounded older than Swedish, it was further clarified that I was actually a telepath.

The local vampires were already aware of this, and while I couldn't exactly read the Weres' minds clearly, I could tell that they were reeling. Apparently, telepaths were less common in Georgia than they were in Louisiana. From what I could catch, they thought telepathy was something of a myth.

Without moving, I locked onto the easiest mind to read and started repeating what I could pick up from them. There were gasps and murmurs, audible even to my less sensitive human ears. Very quickly, they started asking about paying or bartering for my services. One of the Weres, perhaps unfamiliar with vampire protocol, addressed me directly.

"Sookie, would you be willing to negotiate a contract for periodic mind-reading services with the Were packs in Atlanta?"

I picked my head up off of Eric's shoulders just enough for me to turn and speak to the man who had just spoken to me. "You'll have to take that up with my Master."

When I lay my head back down and nestled into the little nook of where Eric's neck met his shoulder, I felt his arms tighten around me. I was so overwhelmed from the events of the evening, but I could have sworn that I _felt_ him feeling pleased. Maybe it was just the fact that he'd growled in a low and happy sort of way.

Eric announced that my services could be requested at a later point in time; they had other matters that needed to be wrapped up before the vampires went to rest for the day.

They had gotten Hallow to undo all of the curses that she'd placed on the people who were present. She was still alive, and they were debating on whether or not they should kill her without attempting to find out if there were other people who needed to be freed from her curses. Eric didn't want to leave her unguarded in Fangtasia, even if she was bound and gagged; at the same time, he didn't want any unknown Weres having access to his club or office. Nor was he comfortable allowing her to leave the building, given that she might be able to escape. Basically, Eric wanted her dead before sunrise.

While all of this was going on, Godric had busied himself with looking through several boxes that I hadn't noticed before. I could hear him shuffling around, but was too comfy to lift my head and look. When he started laughing, the room went quiet.

"What's so funny?" asked a rather gruff-voiced Were.

"The bitch dies tonight. If anyone else needs to be uncursed, we've got her spell book right here."

With that, everyone went downstairs except for me and Eric. I was feeling more than a little overwhelmed; even though I was generally pretty good with my shields, they tended to get worse when I was tired. My mind was humming and buzzing, which I figured was because of all of the Weres nearby. I'd seen one or two of them in the club from time to time, but I'd never been around this many of them all at once, or for such a prolonged period. Maybe my shields weren't as good around them because I wasn't used to blocking out their types of brain patterns.

As tired as I might have been, I couldn't help but respond when Eric began whispering dirty nothings in my ear. I squirmed on his lap, figuring that if he was going to torment me like that, I might as well try to return the favor. I knew damn good and well just how much he liked to see me writhing.

He stopped talking about a second or two before Godric and Pam walked back into the room.

"Hallow is dead," Godric said. "The Weres have all gone to their homes or hotels. I suspect that some of them may come back tomorrow night to negotiate for Sookie's time and abilities, but I also suspect that neither of you will be available."

Pam smirked as she looked at me and Eric. "Why don't you two go on home? I can take care of the mess and close up shop."

I grinned. "Don't have to tell me twice. Thanks, Pam. For everything you've done tonight."

Her smirk softened a bit, turning into what looked like an honest-to-goodness smile. You could have knocked me over with a feather. "I'm just glad to have my master back."

Eric stood up, still holding me. He wasn't going to let me down anytime soon. I was more than all right with that. After some brief conversation between Eric and Godric that I barely heard, Eric walked out of the back door of Fangtasia and took to the sky with me in his arms. We still had about two or three hours before dawn, and I intended to make good use of them.

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Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	46. Fluff and aww

**Eric POV**

I'd like to think that I had worn Sookie out so well that she actually slept longer than I did, but I could smell that she had gotten out of bed at some point. Waking up with her still in bed was such a rare event these days, I found myself torn over how best to savor the moment.

I could sense that she still needed more rest. And if I had my way, she would need to be well-rested for the plans I had for our evening.

My lover was curled up on her side, facing me. A thin wisp of hair had fallen over her face, and was moving back and forth with her breath. It didn't look like it was bothering her, so I watched it, entranced by the very act of her breathing. When it shifted enough to start tickling her nose, I gently brushed it away.

I lay beside her, facing her so that I could watch the movement of her eyes under their lids. Considering the lust I was feeling from her, I felt fairly certain she was dreaming of me. Once the tempting aroma of her arousal wafted from her still form, I couldn't resist any longer. With a soft but insistent kiss, my sleeping beauty opened her eyes and smiled at me.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming?" she asked.

"Oh, you're very much awake," I responded, pulling her closer to me. I could feel just how happy she was; we needed to have a little talk about that.

"Know what I'm thinking about, lover?"

"Mm. I have some pretty good ideas, but I'd love to hear you tell me."

"I'm thinking about the night you came back from New Orleans. All those things you whispered in my ear..."

She chuckled and used her leg to pull one of mine between her thighs. "You going to return the favor?"

"With interest," I leered. "But that wasn't exactly what I was thinking about, just now."

Sookie looked at me; I could tell she was confused and starting to become slightly apprehensive. "Oh?"

"Well," I said, smiling in hopes of keeping her at ease. "I'm sure you remember my reaction."

A slow, impish grin made her eyes sparkle. "You made it pretty unforgettable."

"Hmn. And you inadvertently made it more than a little memorable."

Suddenly she pouted and snuggled closer. "Eric, you're dancing around something, I can tell. I don't know if I'm awake enough for this, just yet. Whatever it is, can't you just tell me?"

Being so unused to waking up before her, I had forgotten that she could be groggy and cranky when she first got out of bed. This may well have been the first time I'd woken up before her and initiated a conversation; after all, even vampires thought it was rude to talk with your mouth full.

"Sorry, dearest. This is something we need to address sooner rather than later, but I'll get to the point. When I bit my lip, you licked up the blood. As arousing as I found that moment, were you aware that that was the third time you'd had my blood?"

She mumbled something and wriggled closer, burrowing into my chest. With my arm draped around her, I waited for that information to really sink in. Just to help things along, I slowly started opening up the blood bond that I had been keeping closed since the night before.

"Eric?" she asked, her voice slightly muffled.

"Sookie?"

"That's... _you_ that I'm feeling, isn't it?"

"Mm-hmn."

"So that means..."

"Mm-hmn."

"But I thought... should it... I..." She pulled back and looked at me, wide-eyed. "I didn't take all that much!"

"Oh, believe me: I was surprised as well. But there was no way for me to tell you."

She blinked, opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Then opened and closed it again. I broke the cycle by placing a kiss on her lips.

"Okay, no, wait," she said after she pulled back. "I get why you couldn't tell me, but why am I only just now feeling it?"

"Initially, the curse was blocking anyone from feeling their end of any bonds they had with me. Remember how Godric left the house in a hurry that first night? He thought something had happened to me because he couldn't feel me anymore. You wouldn't have been able to feel your end of the blood bond until after the curse was lifted."

She nodded. "Right, but shouldn't I have felt something last night, after Hallow undid the curse?"

"Well, as it turns out, the bond isn't functionally all that different from the bond I have with Pam. I can control it, so some extent. I wanted us to be able to talk about it, first." I stopped and double-checked to see how she was feeling. She didn't seem overly upset, just like she was processing a lot of information all at once.

"I felt that... just as I felt that you're surprised I could feel that." She laughed.

"Hmn. It's possible that, given your other mental abilities, you would be more sensitive to the bond itself. Did you feel anything out of the ordinary last night? I was fairly certain that I'd been keeping things locked down on my end, but now I'm curious as to whether or not you still felt it."

She frowned and thought about it for a moment. "You know, I did have a feeling of this odd buzzing or humming. I thought it might have been that there were so many Weres around. I'd never been around that many Weres at one time. I figured perhaps my shields weren't keeping them out or something."

"It's possible, but seems more likely that you were sensing the bond. You don't seem upset about it," I said, shifting the topic slightly.

"Well, it's something we'd talked about before, and I kind of figured it was just a matter of time. Hell, I was planning on talking to you about it once you and I could actually _talk_ again."

I smiled, relieved to hear her say it.

"Hang on a sec," she said, her voice getting a bit sharper. "You've been able to feel your end of it since, when? Since the exact moment where I licked the blood from your face?"

"Yes," I responded, somewhat cautiously; I wasn't sure where she was going with this. Recalling that moment, I wanted nothing more than to bury every part of myself into her; between the things she had whispered into my ear and being able to feel her, I'd thought I was going to lose my mind with lust. Now that she could feel what I felt for her... oh, the possibilities were endless.

"Which means that when you went and stuck me up that tree..."

"I knew for a fact that you'd be safe. The instant I felt anything remotely resembling fear or panic from you, I would have immediately come to you."

Sookie looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled up at me. "Okay. Then I'll forgive you for that."

I pouted. "You're not going to make me work for it?"

"Ooh, good point. Grr. I'm totally mad at you, Northman." Her face was scrunched up as she pretended to be angry with me. She was so adorable, I wanted to bite her everywhere I could reach.

Lightly at first, I began running my hands over the curves of her hips and thighs.

"Are you trying to distract me?" she asked, smiling.

"Yep. Is it working?"

I growled at the sudden feel of her hand wrapping around me. "You tell me," she whispered.

As glad as I was to be _able_ to tell her such things again, I decided that I would much rather show her instead.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I couldn't be bothered with the concept of time. All I knew was that it was somewhere between sunset and sunrise. I had my Eric back, and he was doing his absolute best to make sure I wasn't going to forget that any time soon. While I still had to process the whole thing, I was kind of glad that the blood bond was already there. At the very least, it meant that he could heal me without having to worry about the consequences. If he didn't give me some of his blood, I'd be walking funny the next day, if I could walk at all.

When Godric and Pam had left for Fangtasia, he'd silently let me know that they wouldn't be back until after the club closed; if there were any emergencies, they knew exactly where to find us.

Knowing we would have the house to ourselves for the entire night, I decided to celebrate having Eric back and completely to myself by doing something I knew he would enjoy. When my stomach rumbled to let me know I needed to eat, I got up out of the bed and walked towards the bedroom door without putting any clothes on.

When I turned around, a very interested Eric was watching me. It looked like he was afraid to remind me that I wasn't clothed. I quirked an eyebrow at him, turned back around, and headed towards the kitchen.

Of course, he wasn't going to stay in our room when a naked Sookie was traipsing through the house. He followed me at a close distance; he couldn't seem to decide whether he wanted to be far enough away to watch me, or close enough to touch me. He had long arms; he could figure it out.

Although it felt kind of odd to be walking around completely starkers, I ignored the strangeness of it. There wasn't anyone else around to see me except Eric, and I definitely had no problems baring my bits to him.

I opened the freezer, shivering slightly at the cold air, and pulled out one of the meals I'd made and frozen the other day. When I turned around, my vampire seemed to be very pleased by my body's natural reaction to the cold. I smirked at him, pleased with _his_ body's reaction to mine.

As my food was heating in the microwave, I walked over to Eric and stood up on tiptoe to give him a kiss.

"I'd ask you if you wanted me to heat you up a blood, but I wouldn't want you to spoil your appetite."

He growled suggestively as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "What are the chances I could convince you to eat in the bedroom?"

I snorted. "That all depends on what I'm eating. Food? No. We've got all night and then some; you can wait long enough for me get some food."

He pouted, but I could _feel_ that he was just joking around. That was so bizarre; it was going to take some getting used to. While I was used to getting thoughts from other people, emotions were another thing entirely. With my telepathy, I could know someone was angry from the texture of their thoughts, but I wouldn't actually _feel_ it. There was no doubt that I was _actually feeling_ Eric. I could even feel that he was still holding back a fair bit, like he was giving me the chance to get used to it before letting me feel the full force of it. I appreciated that.

When the microwave dinged, I got my food out and pulled a chair out from the table. In a flash, Eric was in it and grinning at me as he patted his thigh.

I set my plate down and looked at him. After considering it for a moment, I decided to up the ante. I spread out a dishtowel on the table, then sat on that. Right in front of Eric. I stretched my legs out, crossing them at the ankles and letting them rest on his thigh.

"You don't get your dessert until after I've had my dinner," I said, pointing my fork at him. Hell, I had to say _something_ to convince him to give me time to eat.

* * *

By the time we were done with the kitchen, I was glad that I was the only person who ever really _ate_ in there. I insisted on giving the surfaces we'd used a quick wipe-down before we headed back up to our bedroom. Even if I spent the rest of the night cleaning it, there was nothing to be done about the scent. I couldn't smell it, but Eric was more than happy to let me know that he'd be enjoying his bottled meals a lot more, so long as he drank them in that particular room.

He seemed curious about my lack of fussing about it. As we went back to our room, he asked, "Is it possible you're not even _slightly_ bothered by the fact that the kitchen will reek of sex for several days?"

I snorted. "In the grand scheme of things, it's really not that big a deal. It's not like Pam and Godric think we're playing Scrabble; y'all are _hardly_ innocents. I figure, even if I spent the rest of my natural life doing nothing but having sex, I _still_ wouldn't have nearly as much sex as the three of you have had over the centuries."

Eric smiled, but there was something bittersweet hanging in the bond. I stopped walking to look up at him. He looked down at me, smiled again, and I felt him clamp down on his end of our connection. Without any warning, he picked me up, slung me over his shoulder, and carried me into our room.

After I stopped bouncing from the way he'd dropped me back onto the bed – and I was pretty sure he'd done that on purpose, from the way he was leering at me – I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at him. "What was that, out in the hallway?"

He mumbled something under his breath. Yeah, this bond was going to take some getting used to, on both our parts. I raised an eyebrow and blinked at him, waiting for him to answer. He lay down on his stomach, next to me; I rolled over, draping an arm over his back and resting my chin on his shoulder.

"How many big conversations are you up for today?" he asked.

I shrugged as best I could, in that position. "Considering we haven't been able to have _any_ for a while? I'm game for talking about the big bad stuff or the itty bitty stuff. Bring it on."

"All right then. Out in the hallway, you said, 'for the rest of my natural life.' We've talked about it before, but you've never stated a decision one way or the other."

Huh? Oh. This was _that_ conversation.

"You're right: I haven't, and I probably should have."

"Oh?" he asked. Every muscle in his body tensed up, as if he were ready to pounce me if I said yes, or run from me if I said no.

"Relax, sweetie. Here's where I'm at with this whole idea: I'm too young to die, and that works both ways. I don't want you to turn me at this point in my life, but if I get real sick or if there's an accident, I don't want to die from _that_, either."

He was quiet for a moment, his emotions locked down tighter than Fort Knox. "Just so that I'm absolutely clear..."

"Eric, I'm saying that I don't want you to turn me right now, but if something happens and you have to turn me to save me? Then I want you to do it. And if I change my mind on any of that, you'll be the first to know."

He frowned; not the reaction I was expecting or hoping for. "What if something happens to you, and I'm not there...?"

I sighed. "Sweetie, even if you turned me tonight, there are still any number of ways I could meet my final death tomorrow. There's never any guarantee on life. Let's enjoy what we've got, while we've got it."

With his eyes slightly narrowed, he looked at me for a while. Long enough that I was starting to wish I could read his mind.

"Perhaps it is not so strange that Godric has taken a shine to you," he finally said; I wasn't expecting that. "You are surprisingly old for your age, lover."

Oh boy. That was an entirely different conversational direction, and kind of a depressing one. In the interest of keeping things light, I winked and tried to tickle Eric, even though I knew he wasn't ticklish.

"Ooh, Godric _likes_ me, huh?"

And just like that, I found myself pinned under an amused but feisty vampire. The expression on his face softened as he looked me in the eyes, and then he gave me a small, crooked grin.

"Many people like you, Sookie. But I _love_ you."

* * *

Disclaimer: All of the characters contained in this story are property of Charlaine Harris. I don't own them; I just like to play with them a bit.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N**: Okay, so any of you who've really been following this story know that it's been *mumble* months… okay, **years** since I've written anything for it. After the book series officially ended, I felt fairly motivated to work on this story again. Also because writing is yay (and you can see how eloquent I am, right there). Where I left things, well, I had some idea that I'd left it in a relatively non-cliffhangery sort of place but had NO idea where I was going next with things. I have recently re-read the entire thing, took some notes, rough-drafted an outline. I know where things are going next, have some ideas of things I can develop. That being said… I'm rusty. Like whoa. So please forgive me, and thank you for being so patient with me over the months years.

* * *

**Sookie POV**

I wasn't sure what woke me, but when I realized I was awake, I moved into a full-body stretch. It felt fantastic, like I'd been asleep for months and was finally able to move again. I also realized that I was surprised I could do so: Eric wasn't wrapped around my body like a vampire tortilla. Lifting my head, I looked up and around, only to find him lying on his side about a foot away, watching me.

"What time is it?" I asked. "You look awfully wakey for it being the middle of the day."

He smiled, and it had a bit of a wicked gleam to it. "Oh, it's well past sunset, Sookie. I must have worn you out."

"Mmph." He _had_ worn me out the night before, but I wasn't about to tell him; his ego wasn't hurting. "C'mere," I said, "you're too far away." As I wiggled closer to him for a snuggle, I winced. No wonder I'd slept so long; I felt like I'd run a marathon. Concern flared through the bond — a feeling I was still getting used to.

"You okay?" he asked. "What was that?"

"Eh. I'm a little stiff, little sore. No big deal." I curled up towards him, tucking my head under his chin. I felt one of his arms come around me and hold me close.

I never wanted to move from this spot. It was so strange to feel him basking in that comfort, just as I was doing. It felt like the relationship equivalent of the pillow forts Jason and I used to build as children: safe, comforting, playful… but also serious in a way. There was a very private intimacy to it: this was something that only the two of us shared. No one else could have this with either of us. It was solely _ours_.

"_Mine_," I said as I poked his sternum with my nose.

"Isn't that my line?" he asked; I could hear the smile on his face.

"Nope."

"So you're not mine?" Now there was a teasing sound to his voice, but I interpreted the electric hum in the bond as happiness. It was so strange to feel his feelings running alongside my own; like when two distinct rivers combined into one, and for a time, remained distinct in speed and color. It made me wonder how long we could maintain that separated flow of ourselves before we were irreversibly mingled and intertwined.

It was only a matter of time, to my way of thinking. But time was something we had lots of.

"Shh," I mumbled. "No logic. Not awake enough for logic."

"You feel awake to me. I can almost hear the wheels turning in your head. You didn't get up at all during the day, did you?"

I had to think about it before I answered. "Just to pee. Then back to sleep."

"I liked waking up with you next to me."

Leaning back just enough to look at him, I squinted at him, trying to maintain a playful sleepiness. Mostly I just didn't want to get out of bed. He tilted his head down to look at me, then pulled me back to his chest. And just for good measure, he threw a leg over me — as if I'd been planning to go anywhere.

"Gods, Sookie, I love you so much."

"You really mean that? I mean, you're not just saying it because I'm about to get my period? Which would explain at least some of my recent bitchiness, by the way."

"Tease."

"It's only a tease if I don't follow through," I said, pushing him onto his back. We weren't getting out of bed just yet.

* * *

**Pam POV**

"Again? Really? How has her vagina not fallen out yet?"

Godric snorted. "I'm fairly certain that's not possible."

"That's because you've never worn a Victorian corset for years at a time. It's called _uterine prolapse_. Google it."

"Surely you know the difference between a uterus and a vagina."

I knew he had a point, so I decided to ignore it. "It must be her magical fairy vagina; that's why it hasn't fallen out yet. I mean, they've been in that room for what, two years?"

"Two nights, Pam. Barely that, even."

I was fairly certain that if those two fucked any longer or harder—pun always intended—Eric would have to turn Sookie just to save her life. Who knew that human-fairy hybrids were so _sturdy_? I wasn't paying too close attention because listening to other people have sex gets a bit tedious after the first hour or two. Last night, as we were drinking our blood in a very _fragrant_ kitchen (and fuck you, Eric, did you _have_ to do that on the table?), Godric stopped, cocked his head, and smiled.

He then told me that we'd be going elsewhere. I didn't ask. I didn't need to. It's not like they were playing video games up there.

The club was closed for a few days because well, _we said so,_ and in the meantime I was catching up on what I could of Eric's sheriff duties. I could think of plenty of places to go, but my grand-maker told me that we were going to _blow town_.

An adventure with Godric is never something to be turned down. If he asks you to go with him to the all-night convenience store for some bottled blood, _you go_. Godric just has this knack for attracting oddities — human and otherwise. You could just come home with a beverage, or you could find yourself waking up three days later in a dim basement in Hong Kong with three strangers and a new hairdo.

Well. In this case, _blew town_ was a bit of an exaggeration. We didn't Thelma and Louise our way across the south, before hurtling off a cliff to a fiery final death. We just went to go see one Mrs. Adele Stackhouse.

Adele is, hands down, my favorite Stackhouse. I've _seen_ pictures of her from when she was Sookie's age. Damn fine woman. It was probably a good thing for Sookie's existence that I hadn't met Adele in her prime; a woman like that could have turned me into a maker, no question. After that night, I wondered if Godric wasn't considering the same. Not that Adele would have let him, mind you. As much as she loved talking with us about our lives, she had no interest in taking part in our type of life.

Just like she might have loved the fantasy of civil war reenactments, but knew that the reality of the civil war was more ugly than anything else. In any case, I was fairly certain she knew I didn't _need_ shotgun lessons, but that wasn't going to stop me from asking for them until they happened. Mostly I just wanted to see how bad ass she could be with a gun.

She was a real trooper, though. I thought old ladies went to bed before the clock hit double digits, but she was pleased as punch to talk with us until well after midnight. It was nearly dawn by the time we got back, because after Adele retired for the evening, Godric kept coming up with one excuse after another to stay out until the sky started to get ominously lightened. To my eyes, in any case.

Part of me—okay, ninety-eight point five percent of me—had hoped that the two lovebirds would have gotten it out of their system by the time we got back from Bon Temps.

Nope. Because _of course not_.

When we got inside the house, the only evidence that they had left their room was a kitchen that smelled of fresh sex, blood, and Clorox wipes.

I'm not sure why Sookie bothered with the latter. It's not like it covered anything up. If anything, it was just getting in the way of the only part about this situation that I could enjoy.

Granted, that wasn't entirely true. As much as I fussed about it, I really was pleased for my maker. He and got along well, but we were never intimate as lovers. He and Godric got along well, and there were intimacies to their bond that I knew I'd never seen, but neither his sire nor his child could give Eric what Sookie seemed to have in spades.

"If they don't come down in an hour," I said as I walked into the living room, not long after I got up the next evening, "I'm storming the castle and demanding a threesome."

I flopped down on the couch with a huff. Godric looked up from his book with a grin and a twinkle in his eye. "But then what would _you_ do, Pam?"

"Shit…" I said, pretending like I hadn't known he'd say that. "Hold the camera if they don't agree to a foursome?"

He laughed.

"Seriously though, Gods, I don't get it."

"Don't get what, Pama-rama-ding-dong?"

I glared at him, trying to hide my amusement at the way he'd intoned the nickname; it was a new one, too. "They're always all over each other. I don't get why he loves her so damn much. Sure, she smells good, but what the hell, really?"

"That's easy: she puts up with his shit." He grinned and kept reading. Rude. Didn't he know I was trying to interrupt him and demand all his attention?

I snorted. "So do I."

He put down his book and folded his hands over his stomach, then looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite discern. Was that _envy_?

"But you _have_ to put up with him, as do I, to some extent. She doesn't have to. She just wants to. She doesn't love him for his blood or his money or his connections or his power. She just loves him. If I had my own Sookie, you'd never see me again — not for a hundred years or more. I'd be too far up her ass. Just like Eric is."

"Not literally." I hoped, in any case. I'd never understood the appeal.

"Don't knock it." The strange expression he'd had was quickly replaced with a smirk.

"Ugh. No thanks. In any case, she better share. He was my maker first."

"Share? I thought you were in a lesbian phase?"

"If by 'phase' you mean 'the last hundred and fifty years,' then yes. It's a phase. _Totally a phase_." I decided to ignore that I made the occasional exception along the way. "But I'm still in it, in case you were wondering."

"That's a damn shame," he teased, flicking the tip of a fang with his tongue. "You're not jealous of them, are you?"

"No," I lied, happy to be back to the topic of _Eric and Sookie_; it was a far safer topic than _me and Godric_. It wasn't that I had any sort of romantic notions about Eric. There had never been anything like that in our relationship. I just wasn't used to sharing him like this.

"You know that's part of it, though," he said, pushing the issue.

"I _said_ I wasn't jealous."

"I meant the sharing. This isn't Sookie being selfish. This is _Eric_ being selfish. Sookie isn't trying to own him; he loves that about her, too."

I grumbled.

"Pam, there's no telling what their relationship will be in a year, in five years, in a decade. No telling what she'll do, whether or not she'll turn for him. You will always be his child, he will always be your maker. That's something that can't be shared with anyone."

"Godric?"

"Yes, Pam?"

"Stop trying to sound like an after-school special."

"Like you ever watched those," he snorted. "C'mon, kid. I'll by you an ice cream."

"By ice cream, do you really mean hookers and blow?"

"No. I mean let's go pick up some more cat food and bottled blood, and if they're not downstairs by the time we get back, we're storming the castle."

"Deal."

* * *

**A/N, part deux**: I know a few of you have mentioned wanting to see what happens when Godric meets Gran, and I DO want to tell about that, but Pam's POV couldn't do it justice. Only Godric could tell that story. I'm hoping I can wheedle it out of him at some point soon. If you've read the entire story recently, or if you remember where things left off, you'll know that there are Big Things coming up that require Sookie's presence down in NOLA… but I want to give them some fluff before hopping straight off into the next big plot arc. Also, I need to find a secure places to chain my muses. This desk isn't nearly sturdy enough, and I don't have a headboard anymore. *pout* I know this is a short chapter, but I wanted to prove that I Really Was Working On This Story, Honest.


End file.
